


It Happened One Summer

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2013-02-03
Packaged: 2017-11-28 02:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 43,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/669036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“This is a bad idea.  This is a Shakespearean tragedy bad idea.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Happened One Summer

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Ethnic slurs are used in this story. They are a product of the time the story is set. As with all AUs I write, other than parents of main characters, and of course Special Agent Kirk Douglas, all other characters have appeared on Criminal Minds sometime in the past eight seasons. I played fast and loose with some things like movies and music but only within a year or two. Also, some of the places in this New York are real and some just exist in my mind. I don’t want the story to be full of inaccuracies but at the same time sometimes what’s perfect in my mind is the way I have to write it. I don’t think it takes away from the story in any way.

** JUNE, 1956 **

Derek Morgan walked into D’Amico’s and ignored the looks. They didn’t all look at him that way but a lot of them did. It didn’t matter because he was untouchable. Some didn’t appreciate guys like him not staying “in their place” or whatever but Morgan didn’t give a damn what they thought. He had a family to feed too and the streets were rough. They were even rougher for a kid like him. But Morgan had dreams and no one was going to stand in his way.

“We have a problem.” He said when he reached his destination.

“The only problem we’ll have is if you didn’t get me the information.”

David Rossi looked up from the menu, exhaling cigarette smoke. It was a typical Friday night and there was always dinner before going out to paint the town. It wasn’t easy to carouse on an empty stomach. David could carouse with the best of them.

“Do I ever not get what you need?” Morgan asked.

“You're a real smartass. Most guys like you know how to quit when they're ahead Morgan.”

“We both know I'm not most guys and no one is like me.”

“Yeah,” Rossi nodded. “We do. Sit down kid.”

Morgan hated sitting with his back to the door but had no choice. Rossi already had the prime spot. His #2, Aaron Hotchner, who hated to be called that slid over in the booth and Derek sat down. Rossi poured him a glass of water and he thanked him.

“The problem is that I did find out who your mystery woman is.”

“Who?”

“Erin Strauss.”

“Oh for Christ’s sake, Dave.” Hotch rolled his eyes. “We live on an island with 8 million people, half of which are women, and that’s the girl who catches your eye.”

“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain.” Dave said.

“And don’t be superstitious.”

“Are you sure she's Erin Strauss?” Rossi ignored Hotch and focused on Derek. “I thought she was a kid.”

“I'm sure she used to be. I'm 100% positive. I had to hit up every source I had; her identity is a carefully guarded secret. It's her…I'm positive.”

“You think you can get to her?”

“Sure, if I’d like to see my Pops in the near future.”

Everyone knew that Derek’s dad was dead. He actually died saving the life of Stella Rossi, David’s mother. Eight years ago, when Derek was ten and Dave twelve, Stella did some volunteer work at a Harlem group home for kids. Her husband was against it but she was insistent about her work. Two days before Christmas as she walked out of the building, she was accosted by two men who attempted to rob her. 

James Morgan, heading home from a long day’s work with his young son, interceded. For his trouble he was stabbed three times. James bled to death on the sidewalk in front of his son. Stella stayed with Derek until the police came and promised his family would be cared for. Luciano Rossi kept his wife’s promise. 

She wouldn’t be alive if not for the bravery of a man who didn’t even know her. The color of the man’s skin didn’t matter in this instance. Later, when he discovered that James’ widow was white and his children mulatto, it caused some strife. But Stella held firm and Luciano kept his mouth shut. 

He welcomed Derek practically as his own and let it be known that a smite against the Morgan boy was a smite against him. For now, his power held up that word. But power was a precarious thing. Derek always watched his back.

“There are a lot of places in this city I can go but I don’t think so.” Derek said. “You might have to send your #2.”

“His #2 thinks this is a very bad idea.” Hotch said.

“My #2 doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body.” Rossi smirked.

“Hey, #2 is rational. #2 would love to make it to retirement age. Leave this one alone, Dave. You know who she is now…mystery solved. That girl is the kind of bad news that gets your obituary in the paper.”

“I just want to talk to her.”

“She's probably the most guarded girl in the city at the moment.” Morgan said. “There could be one way in though.”

“Why would you hold out on me?” Dave asked. 

“You don’t usually like the long shots.”

“I'm willing to make an exception where this is concerned. What is it?”

“Sam Kassmeyer is her cousin.”

“Are you serious?”

“I'm serious.” Derek nodded. “Everyone knows that Mike Kassmeyer is as honest as they come and his kid is following in his footsteps. That ain't easy in this town. But Mike and Erich Strauss are close like brothers; they grew up in Brooklyn together.”

“And Sam and Hotch went to school together.” Dave smiled. “I recall you two were quite friendly on the baseball team and all.”

“Sam would rather let scorpions eat his cousin alive than let you get anywhere near her.” Hotch reasoned. “And its not as if you can walk into Kassmeyer’s bar and saddle up to some pretty blonde. You might not make it out of there.”

“I just want to meet her. There has to be a neutral location on this God forsaken island.”

“The Pepper Lounge is about it other than the public library. I can't even say the public library is anymore.” Hotch replied. 

He didn’t want to get involved; probably shouldn’t have opened his mouth. But he knew his best friend and Dave was the obsessive type. He’d been trying to find out for weeks who the blonde was and wouldn’t let go. He was driving himself to hysteria with that one image, that glimpse of Erin Strauss. 

Maybe if they met and she rejected him then Dave could move on. There was no doubt that she’d flat out reject him. Even if he wasn’t who he was, there was no way she would get involved with an Italian guy. Until that happened he would do anything in his power to find a way to talk to her. Dave’s drive was his rise and fall.

“You're marvelous.” Dave grinned.

“Mmm hmm.”

“How are we going to get her there?”

“I have a plan.” Morgan said.

“Why am I not surprised?” Hotch asked.

“Girls like Erin Strauss only associate with other girls like Erin Strauss. We happen to know one.”

“That’s right, we do know one. That’s fuckin perfect Morgan. Is she still shacked up with that dirty Mick?”

“She's given your father a few tasty tidbits of the way that dirty Mick does business.” Hotch said. “And she's not shacked up with him. I hope to God she’s not shacked up with him.”

“She's not.” Morgan shook his head. “But she's working him over hard. I think Ian Doyle might be in love.”

“Shut up Morgan.” Hotch said. “I don’t want to hear about it.”

“Can you get to her, Morgan?” Rossi asked.

“It might take a couple of days but yeah. She and Erin run in the same circles so I'm sure she can whisper in your girl’s ear to meet you at the Pepper Lounge next Friday night.”

“A whole week?” Dave seemed horrified by the notion.

“Hey, that’s the best I can do.”

“You have until tomorrow to find Prentiss.”

“Aww c'mon, it would take a miracle.” Morgan said.

“I'm officially calling you the miracle man. You might want to get started.”

Derek held back on rolling his eyes or sucking his teeth. Despite their cultural differences, Rossi was the closest thing he had to a big brother. And no matter what, he was still the man that he was. Derek’s life depended on respecting that. He stood from the booth.

“I’ll do the very best I can.”

“Good man; I have absolute faith in you. Your good work never goes unnoticed.”

Morgan nodded and took off. Hotch just shook his head as Rossi called the waitress over with his hand.

“Don’t look at me like that.” he said.

“This is a bad idea. This is a Shakespearean tragedy bad idea.”

“I just want to meet her and there's nothing wrong with that.”

“What's wrong is that Erich Strauss has been trying to encroach on your father’s territory for over seven years. The only thing stopping them from a full-fledged, all out war is trying to keep up the Micks and the Blacks. They live on an unstable fault line of the enemy of my enemy is my friend. You think that will last once Erich finds out you plant to deflower his only daughter?”

“You think she's a virgin?” Dave didn’t want to say what a turn on that was. 

He’d never gone to bed with a virgin before. But he was sure that Erin Strauss wasn’t easy. It was one of the things he imagined about her. All he’d done for the past three weeks was imagine being with her. It had gotten so bad that Dave knew he didn’t want to meet Erin; he had to meet her.

“How about we not talk about that?”

“What are you boys having tonight?” the waitress came over and smiled.

“I want the lasagna.” Dave lit another cigarette. “Hotch will have the spaghetti and meatballs. We also want two glasses of your best red wine.”

“You got it.” she walked away.

“Where do you wanna go tonight?” Dave asked.

“Home.” Hotch mumbled.

“Hey, if you don’t want her with that Mick then you need to say something.”

“I don’t care what Emily Prentiss does.” Hotch replied.

“That’s what your mouth says. That’s what your mouth always says. Your body language is screaming something else entirely.”

“I should've never bought you that book. I knew I would live to regret it.”

“Look Aaron, I see beautiful women throw themselves at you all the time. I mean some really beautiful young things. They're willing to give you the time of your life and you walk through life like it just doesn’t matter. Men need sex…we’re animals. We need food, sex, a good run, and a great fight once in a while. It keeps the blood pumping properly. If you repress a basic need you're going to become a deviant. You could even become one of those scratchy bastards in the nut hatch at Bellevue.”

“Thank you Dr. Freud. I do alright without. Not every man is an animal.”

“I didn’t mean it in the literal sense.” Rossi made a face. “And the last time I checked, I was the Catholic. You didn’t take a vow of chastity without telling me did you? You’re 19 years old and out of school for the summer. I'm going to get you laid if it’s the last thing I do. It’s not going to be that difficult. I could do it tonight.”

“If you try to chat up Erin Strauss, getting me laid probably will be the last thing you do.” Hotch replied.

***

“Do you know how hard you are to find?” Morgan asked as he walked down the alley.

“There's a reason for that.” Emily Prentiss slipped a rolled cigarette between her ruby red lips. “You could get the shit kicked out of you if you're caught out here.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t plan on staying too long.” He held out a lighter and Emily leaned into the fire. “Rossi needs a favor.”

“Don’t we all?”

“Look, I don’t have all day so here it is…take it or leave it. He wants to meet Erin Strauss. If she could be at the Pepper Lounge next Friday night at eight he would be very appreciative. It’s the closest thing there is to Switzerland in this city.”

“Yeah, except that Blacks can only sit in the balcony and Jews aren’t let in at all.” Emily said.

“Who the hell am I, the race police?”

“Is Rossi fuckin nuts?”

“A lot of the time, yes.” Morgan nodded. “You think you can talk to her?”

“I know where she gets her hair done. I’ll do my best to relay the message but understand that I am a busy girl.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. He’d be appreciative.”

“Yeah, OK.”

“See ya.” Morgan turned to leave but Emily calling his name stopped him. “You doing OK? How's your mom?”

“We’re fine…getting by like we always do. Sarah just finished her first year at Radcliffe. Mama’s about to burst she's so damn proud.”

“That’s great.” Emily said. “How's Hotch?”

“He's not a member of my family, Prentiss.”

“I'm just asking.”

“If you want to know, go and ask him yourself. He's not hard to find or anything. Goodnight.”

Derek walked away and Emily finished her cigarette. She sighed, stepping back into the side door of the club. Ian liked to keep an eye on her; she’d excused herself to the bathroom. That was somewhere the boys wouldn’t go with her. Personal space, at least where she was concerned, wasn’t one of Ian Doyle’s specialties. 

The problem was that Emily teetered between wanting to run away from him and never wanting to leave his side. She was in deeper than she intended; this was just business. Business was always booming. Barely 17, Emily Prentiss chewed men up and spit them out. She was good at what she did, enjoyed the pay, and was an independent contractor. Her Upper East Side parents would die if they knew what she was really doing. 

They weren't going to find out though. Her father, the Congressman, spent most of his time in DC. Her mother, the society matron, did the same. At the Georgetown home most of the year, the Prentisses thought their daughter was at Barnard on early admission. This gave Emily all the freedom she could ask for. It also gave her an apartment to die for.

“What did I miss?” she sat down next to him and crossed her legs.

“We’re about to get out of here.” He took her hand and kissed it. “I want to take you somewhere I can take your clothes off and bend you over. I'm horny as hell.”

Emily could tell. When he was drunk or in the mood, his brogue was nearly impossible to understand.

“Oh Ian, when you say romantic things like that it makes me shiver.”

“I know how to make you shiver, lass.” He smiled.

Emily didn’t need to respond. The truth, whether she liked it or not, was that he did. She’d fuck him tonight… it was never a disappointment. Then she’d get some time and see if she could help Rossi meet Erin Strauss. It was a bad idea but surely not her place to say. What she was wrapped up in wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done either. Lord have mercy on them both.

She stood, smoothing out her red dress. Ian stood as well and pulled her close. The jazz bar was crowded and smoky. Ian didn’t want any trouble. He wasn’t worried about mixing it up, never had been and never would be. 

Ian hadn't lost a fight since he was about 8 years old on the streets of Belfast. But when Emily was around he didn’t want to just be a thug. If anything happened to her in a melee, heads would roll. But tonight was fine and they made it to the Chrysler Imperial with little fanfare.

Once in the car, his hands turned to tentacles. Emily laughed, holding him off. She bunched her dress up around her waist as she straddled him. Ian’s smile was nearly feral when she licked his lips. She could already feel his erection pressing against her soft spots. Sometimes she hated how much she wanted him. Leaning to whisper in his ear, Emily let out a content sigh.

“Tell Max to take the scenic route.”

“Max!” Ian bellowed. “Twice around the park.”

“You got it Ian.” Max Ryan put up the partition that Ian had installed in the car. He didn't need to see him fuck his tootsie. Hearing it was going to be bad enough. Maybe a little doo wop would drown it out.

***

“The son of a bitch is as clean as a whistle at the moment.” Detective Andrews sighed and lit a Camel. “He even pays his taxes, getting right what so many before him got wrong. Luciano Rossi is one of the smartest men I've ever encountered. And I'm not just talking amongst mobsters either. He's not educated but he's a smart man.

“He has two legitimate businesses. One of them is a restaurant in Little Italy called D’Amico’s. Mostly Italians tend to eat there but its open to the public and it’s not a mob hangout. The other is Stella’s. It’s a swanky boutique off 5th Avenue. 

“They sell knock offs of the designer things that women like. My sister-in-law shops there sometimes whether I like it or not, which I don’t. The whole damn world knows he's connected up to the eyeballs but he's untouchable. We've shaken down an underboss or two and of course we arrest street soldiers on the regular basis for everything from robbery to vandalism. But the foundation at the top of the Gianelli Family tree is solid.”

“How long has he been running the family?” Jason Gideon leafed through one of the many Rossi files.

“He rose to the top almost a decade ago when Al Gianelli got tapped. Those in the know don’t even think that Rossi had a thing to do with it. They call him the Reluctant Don around here. That doesn’t mean he won't get the job done.”

“And he has a 20 year old son, his name is David? Is he preparing to enter the family business?”

“My guys say no. Dave isn’t a boy scout by any stretch; he's had a few brushes with the law but doesn't have a record. He’s gotten in a few bar brawls and wrecked a few cars. The line of women he leaves in his wake is like bread crumbs. As far as I can see he doesn’t want to do much of anything. I'm sure that doesn’t thrill the old man. He came up with hard work, even if it’s the kind I don’t respect.”

“What about a gang? The younger ones tend to surround themselves with punks coming up in the organization. It’s for protection and the appearance of toughness.”

“Not really.” Andrews shook his head. “He and Aaron Hotchner are always together. They’re together so much that there was a concern about some Leopold and Loeb action going on there, know what I mean? Alexander Hotchner, Aaron’s father, is the Rossi family attorney. Aaron is a fuckin choir boy. Oh, and Derek Morgan is around a lot too. He’s a mulatto kid out of Harlem. That’s a long story, you'll find it in the files.”

“A Harlem kid mixed up with the Italians?” Gideon raised an eyebrow. “That’s all but unheard of.”

“The files are very interesting.”

“Why am I here if Rossi is a supposed businessman and Strauss a supposed philanthropist?”

“It wasn’t my idea to call in the Feds.” Andrews barely hid his disdain. “I think we can handle our own problems. But the truth is when it gets hot people get jumpy. For a lot of years there have been uneasy truces amongst the big and small families. 

“Despite a few random bursts of violence, everyone has managed to keep their word. But with the Micks and the Blacks making fast plays for more territory I don't think it’s gonna stay that way. These guys aren’t gentlemen, they're animals, and they're taking women and children with them. Most are petrified of the Blacks but the Micks are fuckin nuts. Seriously.”

Gideon swallowed, fighting off the waves of nausea. He despised the sound of slurs but it was the world he lived in. Every group had one and they were spit out in heavy rotation. He had heard more than a few about himself in his time. There were Gentleman’s Agreements all over the country and the world. 

Even in a city of 8 million, supposedly known for its cosmopolitan chic, things could be just as backwards as the boondocks. Jason Gideon made it all the way to the FBI but it surely wasn’t because there weren't plenty of people trying to stop him. Half the time he thought he might be there because they needed a token. Still, the law was all he wanted to be since he was a little boy pretending to shoot gangsters on the streets of Chicago. The rest he had to fight through just like the nausea.

“Who do I have the best chance of getting to?” he asked.

“Blacks and Jews manage to get along, except when they don’t.” Andrews replied. “You won't stick out like a sore thumb up there that’s for sure. The Micks will spit on you and then stab you. But there might be a way in. Her name is Emily Prentiss. 

“If you can believe it her father is a Congressman. Word on the street is that she’s Doyle’s squeeze. To be honest, it’s the first time I've heard of a woman in his life. No doubt he dabbles in whores but business always comes first. Now I hear he's smitten with her. Better men have been brought down by dames than that bum.

“There's also a spot in Harlem called Bennett’s. Charlie Bennett used to own the place. He was good people and didn’t allow crap in his spot. When he passed, his daughter Nora took over the joint and the same rules apply. The bigwigs do go there to put their feet up though. I'm sure that no one there will have a damn thing to say to you but you can survey the land. Enough whites go there that you can blend in.”

Gideon nodded. He didn’t want to talk anymore, especially to Andrews. He needed to jump right in. Without the proper information though that wouldn’t be a good idea. He would go back to the room he rented and read. Andrews already told him he could take the four main files. He opened his briefcase and did just that.

“Thank you, Detective Andrews. Are you going to be my liaison while I'm in the city?”

“I'm gonna be too busy so…”

 _Don’t worry_ , Jason wanted to say but didn’t, _I don’t plan to get my Jew germs all over you_.

“I don’t mind pairing with someone else if you prefer but I need a communication link here. Your boss told mine that we were all working together.”

“I’ll see what Barton’s doing. He's a good guy and seems to get along with all kinds.”

“Have a good day. I’ll see myself out and speak with Detective Barton in a few days.”

Jason walked out of there before his temper got the better of him and he put Andrews on his ass. That was another misconception…Jews were thinkers and not fighters. Jason Gideon had been in his share of scraps over 40+ years. He had never been afraid to fight if he had to. That wasn’t what he was in New York for. He was on what was surely an impossible job to bring down the Mob. 

And it looked as if he might be all alone. It also didn’t settle well in his stomach that the Italians and Germans were being allowed to continue unabated while the Irish and Black gangs were being hunted like dogs. Gideon wasn’t going to do anyone’s dirty work. But the FBI sent him there. He would conduct a proper investigation and see just how strong the current he was fighting against was.

***

“Excuse me, aren’t you Erin Strauss?”

“I'm sorry but you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

They were outside of La Bella Cheveux on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Erin walked with a security guard who was paid to look like anything but. Emily was well acquainted with the type. She knew security at 50 paces.

“No, I'm sure I don’t.” she said. “I danced in the same room with you for nearly a decade. You might not remember me…I'm Emily Prentiss.”

“I do remember you. Wow, you look quite different.”

“I hope that’s not a horrible thing.” Emily laughed some.

“No, you just look so grownup. I'm older than you are.”

Emily wore a lime green imitation Christian Dior sundress. Her raven black hair was long, with pinned curls falling over her eye like Veronica Lake. She wore green peep toed kitten heels. It was a sophisticated look and she nailed it. Though Erin was a year older, she suddenly didn’t feel it.

Her blonde hair had just been washed and curled so it looked good. But her outfit was a simple pair of black Capri pants with a white buttoned blouse and black ballet flats. A few men had turned their heads but Emily Prentiss stopped traffic. Erin wasn’t one to compare herself to others. Still, it was a surprise that someone she grew up with was so grownup.

“Well you look fabulous too.” Emily said. “I don’t have a lot of time but you should know that you’ve caught the eye of someone I know. He asked me to extend an invitation for you two to meet at the Pepper Lounge on Friday night. He’ll be there around eight.”

“Who is this person?” Erin’s tone was skeptical.

“His name is David and I think he's smitten. You don’t have to come, I would surely understand but I promised I would ask you.”

“Well I appreciate it but doubt I’ll be able to make it. It was very nice to see you again, Emily.”

“You too.”

She walked away and all the eyes on the street followed her. Erin wondered what the teenage girl had gotten herself into. While everyone knew that her family was rich and sophisticated, they weren't showy. Old money never was. Emily looked quite showy at the moment.

“If you can bear to tear your eyes away, I’d like my car door opened please.”

“I'm sorry, Miss Strauss.”

When he opened the door, Erin slipped into the backseat of the Jaguar. The door closed and security got in the front. Erin sighed, looking out the window as the car moved slowly through heavy traffic. She didn’t want to live like this all summer. For the past four years at the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Erin was free. 

While her father was doing it out of love, Erin had no interest in being a princess trapped in an Upper West Side ivory tower. Even her mother was preoccupied with her brothers and all the responsibility that came along with eight year old twins. She was feeling alone and lonely. Erin had no intention of letting some Lothario sweep her off her feet. That didn’t mean she couldn’t check out the Pepper Lounge. It was one of the most popular clubs in the city, and nearly immune to some of the territorial pissings that plagued other Manhattan hotspots. 

How could she possibly convince her parents to let her go? It would probably be easier for them to accept that she was going to skip college and marry a street vendor. Lying was her only option. Friends went to the movies all the time on Friday nights. Erin only had one true friend in the city and doubted Ursula wanted to go to the club. 

But she could at least try to convince her. This wasn’t about David, whoever the hell he was; this was about Erin. She needed to breathe. Whatever her father was into wasn’t her fault or her business. If some big bad wolf, real or imagined, was going to kill her than so be it. She’d rather be dead than trapped.

***

“Your mother and sisters are going to the house in Wildwood for a few weeks.” Luciano Rossi walked into his dining room. His son sat at the table eating a late dinner and listening to Maria Callas on record. “You should go with them. Nothing but trouble happens in this city when the temperature goes above 80. It’ll be good for you to get away.”

“I can't go to Wildwood.” Dave seemed mortified at the prospect.

“Do you want to tell me why?” Luciano crossed his arms.

“Well there are some things going on and I need to be here for them.”

“What's her name, David?”

“What?”

“I've been your father for 20 years and you were born with the raging hormones. What's her name?”

“It’s not like that Pop, I swear. Yes, it’s a girl but its not just any girl. This may be the girl. I can see her being the girl.”

“Does the girl have a name?” his father asked again.

“If you don’t mind terribly I just want to keep it to myself at the moment. We don’t know each other well…I don’t want to jinx it. I know that superstitious and silly but I feel that way.”

“You're not usually so secretive. David, I hope you understand that a certain kind of girl…”

“Pop, you know I hear you. Can we not have that conversation? Just know that I would never parade some tootsie in front of you and Mom. I know you would prefer Italian but I can't make that promise. All I can say is she's a lovely girl and I'm hopeful that we’ll get to know each other better. Now might be my only chance. She's going away to college in the fall.”

“What a coincidence since that’s the second thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What do you mean?” Dave asked.

“You need to do something productive with your life, David? Do you have any ideas?”

“Well um…” Dave pushed his plate forward and lit a cigarette. “I've thought of a few things and there are some prospects and…”

“You need an education.” Luciano said.

“I finished high school.”

“That’s great, and your mother and I are proud of you. There’s more out there.”

“There's so much more than school though.” Dave said.

“You need to do something. I'm not going to stand for the partying and cavorting with women all day and night anymore. You either need to get an education or a career. I've indulged you for too long and that’s my fault but it’s over. This will be the last summer you're allowed to be a boy. 

“It’s time to become a man. When I was your age I held down two jobs and cared for my family. I married late because I had to take care of my mother until younger siblings could assume the responsibility. I have to get by in this world on a sixth grade education, which is more than what a lot of guys who came up with me have.”

“But you made it Pop. You made it all the way to the top.”

“The only place to go from there is down David. I sleep with one eye open and always sit with my back to the wall. I’d kill you with my own hands before I let you have that life. This is for other men’s sons, for my father’s son, but never for mine. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir.” He nodded. 

He never wanted to be in the Mafia, or whatever the hell they called themselves. Dave knew some of the things he had to do kept Luciano up at night. He knew his mother went to Mass and prayed more than any woman he’d ever met. You couldn’t stay on top of this game being a sweet pushover. 

But knowing he didn’t want to be a gangster wasn’t the same as knowing what he wanted to be. For the past three weeks all Dave could think about was the girl he now knew to be Erin Strauss. He didn’t have excuse for what he was thinking the rest of the two years since he graduated high school. It was quite a shock that his father let it go for this long. The jig was up.

“You have until the leaves fall off the trees.” Luciano said.

“You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“I want only good things for you, David. A lot of things out here aren’t good. Your mother says the point of parenthood is for the next generation to do better than ours did. You can be more than I ever was.”

“OK Pop.”

“And maybe if this girl is a good girl you can think about settling down. I know some kids are waiting until they’re older these days but a good woman can make your world a better place.”

“Believe me Pop I know just what you mean.”

***

It was raining but that didn’t stop people from coming out to have a good time. Bennett’s was crowded but not dangerously so. Gideon could still scan the crowd on the lower level and make out faces. He wasn’t going to stick out like a sore thumb; at least 40% of the room was white. As he moved through the crowd, more than a few women checked him out as he checked them out.

Gideon looked rather spiffy in his rented black suit and leather shoes. He needed to look good in order to sell his story. Every outfit he brought from DC made him look like a Fed. But at Kilpatrick’s on 56th Street he was able to get something to turn heads. At the bar, Jason put down a $5. 

“Dewar’s, straight please.”

“Yes sir.” The bartender nodded and poured the drink.

Turning his back, Jason looked up at the stage. A woman sang the hell out of a song he never heard before. She was really good. He was a big jazz fan and planned to enjoy all the music tonight. The view wasn’t too bad either.

“Here’s your Dewar’s straight.”

“Thanks.” Taking a sip, Gideon watched the entrance. 

He literally froze the moment he saw her. She walked in with a man but they didn’t look like a couple. Gideon didn’t pay him much mind except to notice he walked with a pronounced limp. She had smooth cocoa skin, which only looked more beautiful in a purple cocktail dress. Her hair was in a short bob. That was a hairdo more popular in the 20s than the 50s. 

But she worked the room like only a modern woman could. There were kisses, hugs, and well wishes all around. Everyone wanted to be around her; she soaked up the attention. When Jason saw her smile he couldn’t help but do the same thing. It didn’t matter that the woman was halfway across a large, crowded room. Jason swore he could feel her presence all the way down to his bones, which was the craziest thought he’d ever had in a very rational life.

“Excuse me?” he got the bartender’s attention. “Who is that woman in the purple dress?”

“That’s Nora Bennett; she owns the place.”

“That’s Nora Bennett?”

“Yes sir.” He nodded.

“She was just the woman I was looking for. Tell me, how does one get an audience with her?”

“I'm sorry?”

“I want to talk to her.” Jason said. He actually thought kissing her might not be so bad either. Those kinds of thoughts hadn't filtered through his brain in over a decade. The FBI had become his entire life, even more so after it led to his broken engagement with Sarah.

“You don’t just talk to Nora Bennett.” The bartender said. “You talk to Bill Hightower…and then maybe you talk to Nora Bennett.”

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome.”

Jason could only assume that Hightower was the guy with the limp. He didn’t look so dangerous but that meant nothing. It was best to approach with caution. Andrews said violence and foolishness didn’t happen at Bennett’s but there was a first time for everything. Finishing off his scotch, which had suddenly become liquid courage, Jason put the empty glass tumbler on the bar.

“What does the lady drink?” he asked.

“She has only the best champagne.”

“Send her a glass with my compliments please.” He put more money down. “And I’ll have another Dewar’s as well.”

“Yes sir.” The bartender went about making the drinks.

Fifteen minutes went by when Jason got a visitor at the bar. He only had a few sips of his second scotch while listening to _Someone to Watch Over Me_.

“I keep going over and over it in my head.” She put the flute, still filled with champagne, down on the bar. “I never forget a name or a face but both of yours elude me.”

“That’s because you don’t know me…yet.”

“Ahh, now I see. So if we’re strangers then how do you know what I drink?”

“I knew what you deserved. How lucky for me that it seems to be what you enjoy.” Jason said.

“I'm Nora Bennett.” She held out her hand.

“Jason Gideon.” He kissed it.

“So Jason Gideon,” now she picked up the champagne and indulged. “You just bought a few minutes of my time. What can I do for you?”

“Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to look at you?” he asked.

“No.” she shook her head and put on a golden smile. “You look like an intellectual man…you like to talk.”

“Do you think that’s because I'm Jewish.”

“I think that because I see it in your eyes.”

“It’s dark and smoky in here. Are you sure you can see my eyes?”

Nora laughed. She reached into her purple satchel purse for a cigarette. She and Jason lit lighters at the same time. She leaned into the fire of his Zippo.

“So Mr. Gideon, what brings you to Bennett’s?”

“The best jazz in New York.” He replied.

“If you heard that then you heard true.” she took a deep inhale of the smoke.

“I also heard that to talk to Nora Bennett one had to go through Bill Hightower.”

Nora looked to her left, her right, and then back at him.

“I don’t see Bill around here, do you?”

“He's not your boyfriend is he? I don’t want to step on a man’s toes.”

“The only toes you need to worry about stepping on are mine.” Nora said. “Do you dance?”

“It won't make a scene?” Jason asked.

“You're not from around here are you?” she countered.

“I'm not.”

“Have you ever been in a bar fight?”

“Once or twice in my life though I surely don’t make a habit out of it.”

“I have a feeling that,” she slipped her hand in his. Nora took one last puff from her cigarette and put it out. “You can hold your own in all endeavors.”

Jason figured they were getting ready to find out. He had no idea why Nora sought him out; it might have nothing to do with the drink. Just because her father had been relatively clean didn’t mean that she was. He already saw Harrison Scott and his right hand Rick Ware in the club tonight. She schmoozed it up with them both earlier. 

But Harlem was like a small town in the middle of a big city. People there knew each other; grew up together. Just because she talked to them didn’t mean she had anything to do with their business or their crimes. Jason could barely think as he slipped his arms around her and danced to _Mona Lisa_. He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on but if he made it out of there tonight much research would be done on Nora Bennett.

***

“I want to go to the Pepper Lounge tonight.” Emily said. “Can we go?”

“We’ll go wherever you want to go.” Ian replied. He was sitting on the couch of his Chelsea apartment cleaning his guns. A glass of whiskey sat close by.

Emily sat on the chair across from him. Her foot rested on the edge of the coffee table as she painted her toenails. Ian always gave her money to go out and be pampered but Emily didn’t want anyone else touching her feet. She liked to do this for herself. Since they were alone she only wore a tee shirt of his and a pair of panties. Ian liked it when she wore as little as possible. Today Emily was going to indulge him.

“I think I'm going to wear my new pink dress. I look really good in pink, which is shocking because I hated it as a little girl. I used to make my mother dress me in white for ballet class.”

“You look good out of it too.” Ian observed as he put his gun back together. 

Taking apart guns and putting them back together soothed Ian. Not many things did that; he was a troubled man. He had nightmares, trauma, and a hair trigger temper most of the time. But with Emily he almost felt human. One day she was going to leave; this couldn’t last forever. Good things were mere moments while nightmares were something he could hardly wake from anymore.

“You, Ian Doyle, have a one-track mind.”

“Are your toes dry yet?” he asked. “I know you don’t like to be touched when they're wet.”

“I have to add a second coat.” Emily replied. “Do something to distract yourself.”

“I take off your clothes to distract myself.”

“Do something else then.”

Ian was going to reply but his phone rang. He put the gun on the coffee table, reaching over to pick it up.

“Yeah? Yeah. Yeah, I'm alone.” Ian looked over at Emily. She crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Ian smirked. “When? OK, yeah, I’ll be there. No its not…I said I’d be there. Bye.” Ian hung up the phone.

“Men of many words are very sexy.” Emily said.

“I have to cancel tonight’s plans.” He said.

“Aww Ian, I…” she stopped, sucking it up before the pouting started. She wasn’t a little girl and didn’t plan on acting like one. Ian had business and sometimes that business interfered with her plans to have fun. Such was the life she led. “I’ll just go on my own. It’s alright.”

“I don’t want you going by yourself.”

“I won't be totally by myself. I’ll take Beth.”

“Emily…”

“Stop.” She got up, tiptoeing over to the couch and put her hand on his chest. “I'm not going to give you shit about standing me up tonight. I know you have work to do and that it needs to be done. Don’t give me shit about wanting to go out and have a good time.”

“You gonna talk to some other man? You gonna go home with him?”

“Why the hell should I dignify that question with a response?”

“I don’t want to lose you.” he barely whispered it. This girl made him weak; made him feel things. Some days Ian loved her and others he was filled with poisonous venom about the whole situation. It was a hard thing to balance.

“Ian, I'm going to the Pepper Lounge. I'm not running away with Montgomery Clift.” She kissed his forehead. “Don’t be paranoid.”

“Being paranoid has kept me alive all this time.”

“Your being paranoid drives me crazy.” she said.

“Are your toes dry now?” Ian asked.

“No!”

“I don’t care.” He shook his head.

“Ian!”

Emily squealed as he wrapped his arm tight around her waist and held her to him. He stood, lifting her up in his arms. Emily smiled and wrapped her arms and legs around him. Ian kissed her, walking toward the bedroom.

“You're mine.” He said. Laying her on the bed, Ian stripped her of the tee shirt and panties.

“I belong to me, Ian Doyle.” She said.

“Do you want me?”

“Yes.” Emily nodded.

“That’s good enough for right now.”

So much of Ian’s life was the moment. In this moment he was satisfying the girl he was crazy about. Later tonight he’d be meeting with his boss about street problems he would have to take care of. The territory they ran in the city was already small enough. 

There were those who wished it to be even less. Ian’s job was to stop the barbarians at the gate. If he had to be one himself, so be it. He could be gentle with Emily. The rest of the world needed to realize who they were messing with.

***

The three men surveyed the land and felt as if the whole world was laid out in front of them. The Pepper Lounge was always crowded. A Friday night meant it was even more so. Rossi wasn’t too worried about he and Hotch getting a table…his name had a little pull in this town. Derek patted his back and headed up to the balcony where blacks sat. Walking deeper into the club, they were stopped by a perky blonde.

“Cigarettes gentlemen?” she asked.

“Gimme a pack of Luckys.” Dave said, giving her a $5. “Keep the change.”

“I love it when a man is both handsome and generous. You alone tonight?”

“Am I chopped liver?” Hotch asked.

“That’s not what I meant boss.”

“I don't know why you torture yourself, Penelope.” Dave said. “You're wonderful, he's wonderful but…”

“There's nothing wrong with a little pain. Actually there are those who find it pleasurable.”

“I'm not touching that. Morgan’s in the balcony.”

“Is he alone?” she asked.

“Not for long, that’s for sure.” Dave replied.

“Well then I'm off. I'm sure people in the balcony need to smoke.”

“Hey wait, have you seen a beautiful blonde in here tonight?”

“Um, hello.” Penelope ran her hand down her body. She looked quite sexy in red mini dress with a poufy skirt.

“Alright, have you seen a beautiful blonde tonight…present company excluded?”

“There are plenty of them. David Rossi will get his pick of the best and most beautiful.”

“Damn skippy.” He grinned.

“I gotta go. Have a great night gentlemen.”

Penelope sashayed off toward the balcony. Dave and Aaron walked into the lounge. They immediately got a booth though there seemed to be a wait. Both men ordered drinks as they soaked up the atmosphere. 

There was a girl on stage doing a mediocre Rosemary Clooney. Dave didn’t really pay her much mind. He was checking out the sea of beautiful blondes. Disappointment sank in even deeper with each face.

“Emily never made any promises that she’d come.” Hotch said.

“Don’t ruin it for me.”

“You're going to ruin it for yourself. It’s Friday night; this is party night. Need I remind you how often you’ve given me that speech?”

“Why would you beat me over the head with my own words?” Dave asked.

“I'm your best friend…I'm allowed.”

“She's coming. I'm going to remain hopeful until there's no hope left.”

“Hey boys.”

Emily Prentiss approached the table with another brunette. She wore her usual seductive smile as she nursed what looked like a gin and tonic. “Who do I have to kill around here to get a table?”

“You know that it’s all about who you know, Prentiss. You look amazing.”

“I just threw this on; God’s truth.”

Emily wore her pink strapless party dress with round-toed kitten heels. She still had the Veronica Lake look with her hair. A pearl choker was around her neck. Her friend dressed simply in a white sundress with blue polka dots. Still, she was a pretty girl so her simplicity probably wouldn’t translate to lack of suitors.

“Are you going to introduce your friend?” Dave asked as their drinks arrived.

“Oh, this is Beth Clemmons. We went to St. Anne’s together.”

“That’s when Emily felt like showing up.” Beth replied smiling. Her dimples showed when she did.

“I'm David Rossi.” He shook her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. And you?” she held out her hand to Hotch.

“Hotch…Aaron Hotchner.” He shook her hand. “We’d invite you to join us but Emily’s boyfriend wouldn’t be pleased.”

“I'm flying solo, Hotch.” she gave him the evil eye.

“Tonight or forever?” Rossi asked.

“Tonight; Ian had business.”

“You should dump that Mick.” Rossi rolled his eyes.

“Says the Goombah who’s trying to dip his hotdog in the sauerkraut.” Prentiss replied. “You're a hypocrite and don’t get a say on who I spend my time with. I don’t need nor seek your permission. Have a great night.”

“Bye.” Dave waved.

“It was nice to meet you Beth.” Hotch said.

“You too Aaron. Enjoy your evening.”

They walked away and Dave sipped his whiskey.

“I bet you're going to say I shouldn’t take my hatred of Doyle out on Prentiss.” he said.

“I was thinking something along those lines.”

“She can do better.”

“Maybe she doesn’t feel that way.” Hotch shrugged. 

“Are we talking about the low self-esteem thing? Have you looked at Emily? I doubt she has that problem.’

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t know a damn thing about Emily Prentiss. I can tell you that she's a better actress than Grace Kelly. She’s either playing us, playing Doyle, or playing herself.”

“Perhaps it’s a combination of…” Dave stopped talking mid-sentence. The words just died on his lips. She was here; he’d finally found her. A brunette in gold who looked unimpressed with just about everything was with her up at the bar. 

Erin looked beautiful in a black cocktail dress. There was a big red flower on the left side for that splash of color women liked. Her blonde hair was pinned up; diamonds around her neck and in her ears. “She’s here.”

“Go and talk to her.” Hotch said. “I’ll keep your seat warm.”

“You need to go and talk to someone too.” Dave said. “You're killing me, Aaron. Why don’t you chat up Beth? I saw your eyes when you saw her dimples.”

“I'm not in the mood tonight.” Hotch wasn’t going to make any mention of dimples or anything else. He wouldn’t give Dave enough rope to hogtie him with.

“Fine, I’ll be back.”

Dave had bigger fish to fry at the moment than Aaron refusing to get a life. As his feet moved toward her, Dave checked his breath and straightened his tie. He’d gone for all black tonight just as she had. Some might look at it as a mere coincidence; a stroke of luck. Dave Rossi thought it might be more than that.

“Good evening Erin.” he said.

She looked at him but didn’t register any recognition. Still, a small smile crossed her lips.

“Do I know you?”

“My name is David.”

“So you're the reason that I was dragged to this place tonight?” the brunette asked.

“This is Ursula Kent.” Erin said.

“Hello. My friend and I have a table Ursula…feel free to relax and take a load off.”

“I didn’t come here to be pawed and mauled.” Ursula crossed her arms.

“You're in luck; he's recently taken a vow of chastity.”

“Seriously?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Pretty much.” Dave nodded.

“Erin, will you be alright? These silly shoes are killing me and I’d love to sit down.”

“I'm fine.” Erin replied.

“He's the brooding guy right over there.” Dave pointed.

“Thank you.”

She didn’t smile or anything as she walked away. Dave’s attention was immediately back on Erin.

“You look so beautiful.”

“I stole the dress from my mother’s closet.” She said.

“Your secret is safe with me.” He crossed his heart for emphasis.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” Erin asked.

“I saw you in Murray’s Skate a few weeks ago. You were good.”

“So you invited me here because you saw me in a skating rink?”

“I was immediately smitten with you.” Dave said.

“Please don’t take offense but aren’t Italian men frequently smitten, as you call it. My mother says they’re hot blooded and can't keep it in their pants.”

“Does your mother know many Italian men?”

“I doubt it.” Erin shook her head.

“The truth is that I appreciate beautiful women, and Manhattan is filled with them. You’re more than beautiful, Erin Strauss.”

“We don’t even know each other.” she reasoned.

“I invited you tonight to change that.”

“What's your favorite book?” she asked.

“I can rarely choose between _The Invisible Man_ and _1984_. But I also have a soft spot for _Lord of the Flies_. What about you?”

“I've read so many that it’s hard to truly say. My all-time favorite is probably _The House of Mirth_. My current favorite is _A Kiss before Dying_ by Ira Levin. I've never read anything like that book in my life. Do you know his work?”

“No.” Dave shook his head. “Maybe you can let me borrow it.”

“Maybe.”

“So you like to read? What else do you like to do? What will you study when you go to college?”

“How did you know I was going to college?” Erin asked.

“I took a wild guess. I'm quite sure that you're brilliant. Your parents probably brag about you to all of their friends.”

“I find you strange.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to talk to me?” Dave asked.

“I'm talking to you right now, aren’t I?”

“Would you like to continue talking over a drink?”

“I don't drink very often…what would you recommend?”

“Have you ever had a white wine spritzer?”

“No.” Erin smiled as she shook her head.

Dave held up his hand to get the bartender’s attention.

“A white wine spritzer for the lady please.”

***

“Max Ryan.”

“What?”

“Max Ryan.”

“I'm sorry no, you have the wrong number.”

“Gideon?”

“Who is this?” Jason pulled his face out of the pillow. 

Turning over on the uncomfortable mattress, he wiped his eyes, his mouth, and looked at the alarm clock. It was almost 10am. He never slept in but was up late last night. The files needed to be gone through with a fine-toothed comb. 

Gideon needed to find a way into the gangs that had nothing to do with Nora Bennett. He’d spent hours with her on Thursday night and the Harrison Scott situation didn’t come up once. Jason was able to watch them but didn’t want to waste a moment he was talking with her. Nora was a dangerous woman and it had nothing to do with guns and violence. 

Jason had been good at reading people his entire life. Nora wasn’t mixed up in any of this mess. She was as clean as her father when it came to mob ties. There were other things Nora was though. She was definitely beautiful. She was also brilliant, well-read, and cultured. Jason could listen to her talk forever of her days at Wellesley College and adventure in places like London, Paris, and Berlin. Not against the rules, but surely not why he was there, Jason was taking her to brunch on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s Kirk Douglas from DC.”

“Good morning sir.” Gideon cleared his throat.

“What the hell are you doing in New York? When I found out what Carver did I damn near burned the place down. No doubt Hoover signed off on it; anti-Semite son of a bitch. I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Are you on a secure line sir?” Jason asked. Saying something like that about the Director could have very strong repercussions indeed.

“Yeah, I'm secure.” Kirk replied.

“Am I coming home?”

“It could be a kamikaze mission.”

“I’d like to walk away with my life, such as it is.”

“That’s why I'm telling you about Max Ryan.”

“Who is he?” Jason asked.

“He infiltrated Finnegan’s gang about a year and a half ago. He's just a street soldier but I'm sure he can get you some of the things you need. The truth is I believe there to be several deep cover FBI agents in many New York families. The problem is here I sit in a cushy office, head of the Bureau’s Organized Crime Task Force and I barely know what's going on. Ryan is one of my guys…I know his existence for sure.”

“If he's here, and possibly others, than why am I here? Ryan could tell the Bureau what they need to know and bring the whole thing down from the inside out.”

“I told you that it’s a kamikaze mission.” Kirk said.

“Someone set me up?” Jason asked. “They're trying to get me killed?”

“I don't know Jason, but I'm damn sure going to find out.”

“I don’t want you to put your life in danger, sir. You have a family.”

“You deserve one someday.” Kirk replied. “We’re both going to survive this. Ryan’s in too deep…its difficult for him to make big moves. He just communicates and an outside agent builds the case. It looks like you're the outside agent.”

“Does he know about me?”

“He will before the day is out. Do you have any other prospects for getting information?”

“No.” he shook his head, feeling horrible for lying to Kirk. Sometimes he was sure that man was the only one who had his back. “Maybe.”

“Which one is it?” Kirk asked.

“It’s the latter…but I'm doubtful anything will come of it. I'm feeling my way around in the dark here. We need the whole Bureau to break up this mess.”

“There's been a truce for years; that’s why we haven’t made a move. It’s been uneasy at times but for the most part it’s held. Something’s in the air Jason, everything is about to change. Keep your eyes open and watch your back.”

“How can I contact Ryan?”

“He will contact you in the next few days. And you know how to reach me. If you need something please call me. I don’t care if its day or night. Despite how you may feel or how it looks, you're not out there on your own.”

“Alright. Thank you sir.”

“You're welcome…be safe.”

Jason hung up the phone and lay back against the pillows. What the hell was going on? He wanted to go home; forget the entire assignment. He suddenly felt completely overwhelmed. It was as if the walls were closing in on him and Jason couldn’t breathe.

Jumping out of bed, Jason rushed over to the window and opened it even more. He put his hands on the sill, practically leaning out. He inhaled slowly through his nose and then out of his mouth. His heartbeat slowed; the urge to vomit began to dissipate. He pulled himself back into the room and sat on the bed. 

This was bad. The whole damn thing was bad but Jason had no idea what to do about it. At this point, bringing down anyone, even a good attempt to do so, was his only escape. The rocks were rolling down the hill…an avalanche was heading right for him.

***

“Are you going to take me to the movies tomorrow night?” Emily asked. “ _Peyton Place_ is playing at The Beekman and I feel like I'm the only one who hasn’t seen it yet. They say Lana Turner is amazing. I mean like Academy Award amazing.”

“Were you with David Rossi and his lackey the other night at the Pepper Lounge?”

“Oh my God, Ian, are you seriously asking me that?”

“I'm asking you.” he nodded.

“Are you having me followed?” she asked.

“Answer me Emily!”

“Don’t talk to me like that. We had this discussion some time ago. I have friends. Not all of them are the people you like but I bite my tongue on some of the thugs you hang out with. 

“Yes, I saw David and Aaron at the Pepper Lounge. What your boys didn’t tell you is that we talked for maybe 5 minutes and I moved on. He asked me to join him at his table and I declined. I didn’t have to do that but I did, out of respect for you. Respect is a two-way street Ian.”

“Ray thinks…he doesn’t trust you Emily.”

“I'm not fucking Ray.” She said. “Do you not trust me Ian?”

“I don't know sometimes.” 

“Well there's nothing I can do about that. I would never ask you to choose me over your business. We’re not in that type of thing. When I'm with you I want to be. But I can want to be somewhere else too.”

“Don’t threaten me.” his voice got dark.

“Everything is not a threat.” Emily kept her voice calm though she really wanted to tell him just where to stuff it and hoped that it hurt. “I think we both might need a break. I told you when we started this that it’s just casual. I have fun with you but I don’t need a security guard or a husband.”

“You know how I feel about you.”

“You hold on too tight.”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“You're making me want to go.” She said. “You see, this is what I didn’t want. This is not what people in casual relationships do.”

“Six months and you still just think of us as some thing?” he asked.

“Yes. I don’t want to be tied down. I want to spend time with you but there is a difference between that and what you want from me sometimes.”

“Fine. You know what; if you want space so much just take yourself to the movies.”

“Alright I will.” Emily hung up the phone and went into her bedroom. 

She wasn’t going to play his games. She wasn’t going to be spied on and talked about behind her back by some two-bit Mick hustler. Emily Prentiss could buy and sell Ray Finnegan all the way to Belfast and back. She didn’t give enough of a shit about his business to try to be involved. Ian kept her in the dark anyway. He was not the pillow talking type.

She wasn’t going to lose her freedom to be his girl. There were a million Ian Doyles in the world and a good amount of better men. The sex was good, no doubt about that. Her mother also told her that it was also better for a man to love you more than you loved him. 

But this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Ian felt he owed Ray his life. He would never pick Emily over him and she wouldn’t ask him to. And who knows what Ray might try to do if he truly felt threatened by her. No man was worth a slit throat.

The phone was ringing and Emily knew it would keep on too. Ian could be stalker-like when he wanted to be. Still, she wasn’t afraid of him. She didn’t know why, on the outside he could be quite a scary man. Emily knew him on the inside though. 

She knew as much about Ian Doyle as anyone who walked the earth. But right now she just couldn’t deal with it. So as soon as the phone stopped ringing the fourth time around, Emily took it off the hook. If she couldn’t have the movie then she would have the book again. Pulling _Peyton Place_ out of the nightstand, Emily opened to the first page and started to read. 

Who knew if Ian would come kick in her door tonight if he got no response? Hopefully the doorman would prevent that from happening. But she was just going to read and whatever happened happened. Emily was tired; one shouldn’t be tired before age 17. She was in love with Ian. At least she thought she might be…she’d never been in love before. 

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t walk away. He couldn’t have all of her or her sanity. Something had to give soon. The carefree days of summer had just begun but they were always short. By fall Emily was going to have to do something with her life. She had some decisions to make and it looked as if Ian did as well.

***

“Hi there.”

“David,” Erin looked up and tried to hide her smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

“I thought we were going to meet up on Saturday for brunch.”

She stood, wiping dirt on the apron she had around her waist. Erin was at the community garden in Morningside Heights planting flowers. She was enjoying the volunteer work she was doing with the Upper West Side Botany Club. They were going to beautify the entire city one community garden and park at a time. Today she was working with gardenias.

“That was too long to wait, I'm sorry.” He smiled, handing her the single white rose.

“How did you even know I was here?” Erin asked.

“I have my ways.”

“Are you following me?”

“Is that creepy?” he asked.

“Just a little bit, yeah.”

“It goes back to me being smitten.”

“I just can't…”

“Hey Erin, is everything OK?”

A pretty redhead approached the pair. She didn’t look happy to see Dave but he put on his best smile. She came to stand next to Erin with crossed arms. If she was waiting for an explanation he wasn’t going to give her one. This was public property; he could be where he wanted.

“It’s fine. Rachel, this is David. David, meet Rachel Harding…she's a friend of Ursula’s.”

 _Ursula has friends_ , Dave thought as he shook Rachel’s hand. On Friday night the brunette hadn't said five words to him. She got along a bit better with Hotch and he later told his best friend that she was rather brilliant. Still, it didn’t hurt to smile once in a while. Life was short. Rachel wasn’t smiling either but at least she didn’t look as if she wanted to kick Dave in the balls anymore.

“It’s nice to meet you.” he said.

“Can I help you with something?” Rachel asked.

“I was in the neighborhood and was hoping to take Erin to lunch. If you could help me with that I’d be truly grateful.”

“David, I promised my time to the botanists.” Erin said.

“You’ve done good work today Erin. I don’t mind if you take off early. Unless you don’t want to go with him and then you surely don’t have to.”

“I'm a mess.” Erin reached to touch the scarf on her head. She definitely didn’t dress this morning with anything other than planting in her mind. “I can't go anywhere like this.”

“We won't go far.” Dave replied. “We’ll grab a hotdog from a vendor, pick a bench, and just sit and talk. If you want to.”

She wanted to. Erin and Dave talked for hours on Friday night. They talked until they were breathless, caught their breath, and talked some more. They also danced, laughed, and flirted a little. 

Not once did he make a pass at her. He didn’t try to get her in his car or touch her in an inappropriate way. It was interesting considering what she’d heard about Italian men. Yes, it was obvious that he believed he was smitten with her. But he seemed smart enough to know that she wasn’t just going to surrender to whatever charm other girls had.

“OK, let’s go.”

“Great!”

“Just so you know,” Erin said as she took off her apron and scarf to hand them to Rachel. “It was the hotdog that sealed the deal. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

“I'm perfectly OK with that.” Dave nodded.

“I’ll see you on Thursday Erin?” Rachel asked.

“Yes. After work we’ll meet up with Ursula and maybe see a movie or something.”

“That sounds good. It was nice to meet you David.”

“You too.” he smiled as he and Erin walked away. 

Dave wasn’t even sure what to say. He’d never really courted a girl before. He just did some flirting, she would flirt back, they both got what they wanted, and the encounter was over. Dave hadn't had many girlfriends and never seemed to want them. Lovers was more of his thing…commitment was tough. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try to get this right with Erin.

“I know who you are, by the way.”

“Well we don’t know each other that well yet but did enjoy long conversations Friday evening.”

“Your last name is Rossi; you failed to mention that.” Erin looked at him.

“And yours is Strauss.” He said.

“Its possible you’ve been reading too much Shakespeare.”

“I don’t want this story to end with a knife in my back. I surely don’t want one in yours. I didn’t know who you were when I first saw you skating. I didn’t care when I found out.”

“I try to get to know people, not last names or ethnicities.” Erin said. “That’s not always so easy. But there are going to be certain people who really don’t like it.”

“We don’t have to tell anyone.” Dave replied.

“This is getting more Shakespearean by the second.”

“Look,” he took her hand so that she would stop walking. Then he turned her to face him and took her other hand. “I don’t want you doing anything that makes you uncomfortable, Erin. I just want to get to know you better. 

“I know it’s not the most convenient thing in the world, being who we are. But we’re not kids anymore and deserve to forge ahead with our own lives. My father said to me the other night that this life was for other men’s sons, his father’s son, but not for his son. I don’t know your father but I'm sure he doesn’t want the weight of his sins resting on your shoulders either.”

“You're one smooth talker Rossi.” She smiled.

“It’s a talent that’s taken me some time to hone.”

“Just feed me.”

He smiled and nodded. They continued to make their way out of the park, Dave still holding her hand. At the first hotdog vendor he bought two dogs and two Cokes. Erin wanted hers plain, which was strange to him. Dave had to have mustard. Back inside the park they sat down on a bench.

“So you're doing a lot of volunteer work this summer to keep busy?” he asked.

“I need to get out of the house. I've been gone from Manhattan for five years and my father worries too much. It’s either this or sit in the house.”

“I'm surprised you don’t have armed guards all around you.”

“Do not give him any ideas.” She rolled her eyes. “I'm looking forward to the fall. When I'm at school I'll have some freedom again.”

“But then you'll be gone.”

“Nothing lasts forever David. You have to make the most of it while you have it.”

“Now who’s being Shakespearean?”

“What do you want from me?” Erin asked.

“Is that a trick question to get me slapped?”

“No.” she laughed, covering her mouth when she did. Dave gently removed her hand.

“I like your laugh.” he told her.

“I just don’t want you getting in trouble, or worse, from a summer dalliance.”

“You think of yourself as a dalliance?”

“I'm just wondering what you're thinking.”

“When I was a kid I wanted summers to last forever, and sometimes it felt like they did. You make me feel like a kid again Erin. That’s what I'm thinking. What are you thinking?”

“I don't know yet.” She shook her head.

“At least you're honest.”

“Can we just get to know each other; be friends I guess? That might be the safest bet.”

“I've never been a safe kinda guy.” He said.

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

“You came to the Pepper Lounge for a reason Erin. Maybe neither one of us knows what that reason is but this might be our time to find out. I’ll protect you. No one’s going to hurt you while I'm around.”

“Who's going to protect you?” she asked.

“We’ll worry about me if it comes to that. I'm really hoping that it doesn’t.”

***

Max Ryan was a chain smoker. He was also a chronic pacer. Maybe he was high on something, Gideon wasn’t sure. But he was definitely in deep. Nothing about him screamed Fed.

Of course if it did he would probably end up with his insides on the outside. Still, comrades in arms usually recognized each other and Gideon felt nothing from this guy. Was he even still on their side? A year and a half undercover without coming up for air…it’s a wonder Max Ryan even knew who he was anymore. Jason would use caution but do his best to trust Kirk and his assessment of this agent.

“I do little things here and there. I mostly work with Ian.”

“You mean Ian Doyle?” Jason asked.

They were under an awning of a closed hardware store in East Harlem on a rainy morning. Ryan had coffee and a cigarette. Well, he had about five cigarettes. Jason was sipping weak tea from a paper cup.

“Yeah, he's Finnegan second in command. Actually he and Sean share the duties…Ray brought them both up.”

“Are either of them his blood?” 

“Nah, though Sean has his last name. They were just street punks, little kids, and Ray saw their potential. Now they’re running his operation.”

“So what does Finnegan do?” Jason asked.

“He gets rich and gives orders. If one of them was to do something big, like a murder, without Ray’s nod the consequences would be long-reaching. They’ve gotten away with small stuff but mostly all three have the same idea in mind. They want to stretch their territory. They’re the smallest fish in a big pond.”

“I thought that would be the Blacks.” Jason said.

“You'd think but no. Harrison Scott is a vet, he earned medals in the war, and there are those in high places who think good things about him. These street Micks could never get that kind of backing. There are some places Blacks can hardly go and Harrison Scott has been allowed through the front door. In Harlem they call him The Gentleman. I heard he even got an audience with Luciano Rossi once to discuss business. 

“But word on the street is Rossi might have a soft spot for coloreds behind the thing with his wife. He could give his blessing to let Scott’s boys take a small piece of the action somewhere like here in the East. Its Harlem anyway even if the Dagos currently have it locked down and the Spics have been moving in like roaches for over a decade. Finnegan can't get in anywhere. He's fighting for every scrap.”

“He seems to be doing OK.”

“They say post-war America offers opportunities for every man. Strange thing is it ain't as easy to be a criminal as it used to be.” Ryan snuffed out one cigarette and lit another.

“Headquarters seems to think that someone is about to throw a lit match into this tinderbox.”

“I've heard some whispers here and there. No one can touch Rossi or Strauss; they’ve got protection all around them. But that don’t mean branches can't be cut off the tree. The truth is no one is safe. And if Scott gets a little chunk of the action somewhere outside his current boundaries Finnegan will have no choice but to make a move.”

“Will he move against Scott or Rossi?” Jason asked.

Ryan shrugged. Finnegan didn’t care who got hurt, even if it was his boys. Street soldiers were a dime a dozen in places like Hell’s Kitchen and Five Points. For every kid who became a cop, two became criminals. The Irish had big families and plenty of people to go around. The lure of the high life was more than some could say no to.

“How have you survived this long, Ryan?”

“I keep my mouth shut and do what Ian tells me.”

“One day he's going to tell you to do something you can't stomach.”

“I have a strong stomach Agent Gideon.”

“You took an oath.”

“The Bureau put me here. I figure they knew what they were doing.” Ryan finished his coffee, balled up the cup, and threw it out onto the rainy street. “I gotta go. I'm usually to Ian’s place by 8.”

“What about Emily Prentiss?” Jason asked as Max tried to walk away. The name stopped him in his tracks.

“Who?”

“Andrews at NYPD tells me that she’s Ian Doyle’s girl. If you're his driver than you know who she is. Let’s not play games.”

“You like your life then you stay far away from her. That’s what I can tell you about Emily Prentiss.”

“Why haven’t you pressed her?”

“Don’t tell me how to do my business.” His face went from neutral to angry.

“You don’t seem to be doing anything but a gangster’s grunt work.”

“We’re done talking here.”

“Where can I find Emily Prentiss?” Jason asked.

“If you're such a damn good agent then figure it out yourself. I doubt we’ll be seeing each other again, Agent Gideon. You're in over your head. Nothing short of death is going to stop these men from going after what they want. It’s not your death that matters to them.”

Ryan put up the collar of his jacket and walked away. Jason stood there for a while, watching the world go by. The rain was coming down at a steadier pace so the people who were out moved quickly through the streets. It was a long walk back to his rented room but he did have an umbrella. He just didn’t have an urge to go back yet. 

The meeting with Ryan upset him, and didn’t make much sense. It seemed as if he was just deserted by the Bureau as well. Or maybe he didn’t want to help Gideon out. Jason couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that his last hope was a complete wash. He was falling through space and most likely would land smack on his face.

Umbrella up, he stepped from under the awning and started to walk. Gideon had no idea where he was going; he needed to clear his head. He contemplated packing it in and going back to DC. That would be a sure end to his FBI career but how many other choices did he have. 

This was a quagmire; it was a dangerous one. One false move by any of the many parties involved and the whole thing could blow Manhattan sky high. One man surely couldn’t stop it. Gideon didn’t even think one million could. 

He walked for some time before stopping at a phone booth. Stepping inside, Jason picked up the phone. He dug two dimes out of his pocket and put them in the slot. He dialed the number by heart…he’d been repeating it in his head for days.

“Good morning, Bennett residence.”

“May I speak to Nora Bennett please?”

“Who’s calling?”

“This is Jason Gideon. I know it’s early and I'm sorry but we were discussing something the other night and I need to speak with her about it now.”

“Hold on please.”

He waited for a while and then she was there. She sounded no different over the phone, which was unusual. She sounded so close that Jason could reach out and touch her.

“Good morning Mr. Gideon.”

“Good morning.”

“We were discussing something the other night?”

“Steak and eggs.” Jason replied.

“So we were. You’d like to continue the discussion?”

“I’d like to take you to breakfast. I think I might be close to you right now.”

“Where are you?” Nora asked.

“I'm on 147th Street, close to um…Amsterdam.”

“I think you're pretty far from home at the moment.”

“You have no idea. I'm only consoled by the fact that I'm probably close to you.”

“You are; I'm in Sugar Hill.”

“Is there somewhere we can meet?”

“Do you plan to stand in the rain the entire time?” Nora asked.

“If I have to.” he replied.

“You can meet me at Tom’s Restaurant. Do you know where it is?”

“I’ll find it.”

“You're a strange man, Jason Gideon.”

“I'm going to take that as a compliment.” 

“You should.”

“And you're smiling now.” Jason said.

“I’ll see you there in an hour.” Nora said.

“Alright.”

He hung up the phone and walked out of the phone booth. At the corner Jason hailed a cab and told the cabbie to take him to Tom’s Restaurant. Maybe seeing her again would stop all the white noise buzzing in his brain. He’d be able to breathe again; enjoy breakfast and good conversation. It wasn’t truly real but Jason found that the best things in life never were.

***

“Sweetheart,” Joanna Strauss knocked before walking into her daughter’s room. “I just wanted to come in and say goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Mum.”

Erin lay in bed under her sheet relaxing on her pillows. She was reading _Marjorie Morningstar_ but also seemed to be falling asleep. There was a thunderstorm outside; it was the perfect lullaby.

“Are you alright?”

“I'm fine, just a bit tired.” The teenager put on a smile.

“You may be stretching yourself too thin with all the volunteer work.”

“If I don’t do that then what would I do?” Erin asked.

“You should probably go out and have fun like other girls your age. All you have is this summer Erin and then its college and adulthood. Your peers are pairing off so quickly. Katherine Cole got engaged last night. William Hodges is a very good catch in our circle.”

Erin didn’t have peers. She had girls she remembered from ballet and other activities in New York as a preteen and little girl. The girls she went to the Dana Hall School with from all over America and Europe. She never had many friends but the few she did were not from New York. 

She had Ursula, whom she’d practically known since diapers. The last thing the intellectual brunette wanted was a husband. She was in a very intimate and very secret relationship with Rachel Harding. Erin might have been the only person who knew other than the two women themselves.

“If you can convince Daddy please let me be the first to know.”

“I will.” Joanna smiled. “I’ll talk to him. I know the world isn’t as safe as you kids think but you're not a little girl anymore.”

“It’s alright Mum.” Erin put on a smile.

“It’s not, not entirely. Though I can't blame your father for his worry…I worry too.”

“I get out and get fresh air almost everyday. In fact tomorrow I'm going to the Prospect Heights Community Center with Sam for a paint party. It’s sure to be a lot of fun.”

“Would you like me to wake you in the morning?” Joanna asked.

“No, I’ll set my alarm. Sweet dreams, Mum.”

“Goodnight, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Joanna walked out of the room and closed the door. Erin listened to her footsteps walking toward the master bedroom. Once she heard that door close, she pulled the phone from under her sheets. Erin put her ear to the receiver.

“Are you still there?” she asked.

“I'm here. What's a paint party?”

“They just re-did the community center so we’re going to work on murals and such in the hallways.”

“I'm not going to be able to see you?” Dave asked.

“I’ll be with my cousin so there's no way. Do you have plans on Friday?”

“As a matter of fact I do.” Dave replied.

“Oh.”

“I'm going to be with you.”

“David…”

“Yes?”

“Nevermind.” Erin shook her head.

“This might seem like a strange question but why does your father hold the leash so tight?” he asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I have two little sisters. They're 16 and 15 and my Pop keeps a close eye on them. You’re 18 though; I would think you do alright handling yourself. In fact I know that you do.”

“When I was 12 years old I went to Riverside Park with my mother and twin brothers. It’s not far from where we live in Riverside Drive. A man there tried to grab me and pull me into his car.”

“Oh my God.” Dave was breathless.

“I kicked and screamed so he took off running. Even though the police arrested a local pervert for the crime my father swore that his enemies were coming after his family. He and my mother sent me away so I would be so safe. It wasn’t easy for any of us but he believed it was the only choice he had.”

“And now you're back.”

“Here I am.”

“I'm glad you're back.”

“If my father even suspected I was talking to you he would ship me to Siberia.” Erin managed a laugh but in the pit of her stomach she worried. 

Something deep inside of her was drawn to David Rossi. She tried to talk herself out of it a million times since that first meeting at the Pepper Lounge. Instead she was meeting up with or talking on the phone with him every opportunity she had. Erin didn’t care how it would end…she never wanted it to end.

“I’d follow you; I’d rescue you.”

“You have white knight syndrome. I read all about it in Redbook last month.”

“I've never been the hero of the story, Erin.”

“Let me guess, you're the rogue horseman who doesn’t even know he has a heart of gold. He’s too busy pillaging and enjoying what the local maidens have to offer.”

“I've met up with a local maiden or two in my time. There’s no point in denying it.”

“I bet you have.” This time when she laughed she covered her mouth.

“You shouldn’t cover your mouth.” He said. “You have a beautiful laugh.”

“I don’t want my parents to catch me on the phone. Its getting late and this wouldn’t be an easy situation to explain.”

“You could just tell them that you're smitten with me. Isn’t it grand?”

“I should probably go.” Erin said.

“It’s not easy to say goodbye to you.” 

“So don’t do it. Just say I’ll see you on Friday.”

“What time?” Dave asked.

“1:30. Will Aaron be joining us?”

“I don’t think so. His father has him nailed down a few days a week pushing paper at his law office. I'm making the most of my last summer of freedom.”

“We’ll discuss that some more on Friday.” She said.

“Sweet dreams, Erin Strauss.”

He waited until he heard the soft click before hanging up the phone himself. Dave sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes. He didn’t have a phone in his bedroom so came down to the den to call her. At least he didn’t have to worry about waking the house. 

His mother and sisters were down the shore until after the holiday. Unless it was essential to business, and it rarely was, Luciano Rossi was in bed every night by 10. He got eight hours of sleep and woke at the crack of down for a daily walk through the neighborhoods. He did it rain or shine no matter the season. 

Dave was usually still out enjoying the night life at this hour. But that was before Erin Strauss came into his life. It had barely been 3 weeks, how could he be feeling like this? It happened to every man eventually but who knew that it really did feel like a ton of bricks.

***

She was barely out of the shower and drying off when the door buzzed. It surprised Emily as the doorman usually called up before visitors came. He may have called while she was in the shower but no answer usually meant she wasn’t home. What was the point of living in a secured building on Central Park West if just anyone was allowed to buzz her door? It buzzed again as she put her towel to the side and wrapped up in a terry cloth robe.

Emily wanted to yell she was coming but for the first time in a long time she heard the voice of her mother in her head. A lady rarely had reason to raise her voice. It just wasn’t proper. Emily could yell with the best of them but stopped herself. She walked down the stairs, through the living room, past the kitchen, and to the front door. 

Looking out the peephole, she didn’t see anyone. OK, she wasn’t crazy; the door had buzzed. Emily opened it and no one was there. But a little black cat sat on the carpet. He had a glittery blue bow around his neck. 

Emily couldn’t help but smile when she saw him. She loved cats. All her life she wanted one but her mother was allergic to cat saliva. Emily thought that was a lie…she’d never heard something so insane in her life. Who in the hell was allergic to cat saliva?

“Hello cutie pie.” She leaned and scooped up the kitten. “What are you doing here?”

“He's an olive branch.” Ian stepped out from the where Emily couldn’t see him. He was holding a dozen red roses.

“No,” Emily shook her head. “He's a kitten.”

“His name’s Sergio, that’s what the girl at the pet shop said. She said he’s happy, playful, but sometimes aloof. The description reminded me of you.”

“You must have me confused with your other girlfriend.” Emily said.

“Can I come in?” Ian asked. “We need to talk.”

“I guess.”

She walked away from the door still cradling the cat. Ian came in behind her and closed the door. Emily went into the living room, sitting down on the couch. After putting the kitten on the cushion beside her she reached for the flowers.

“Are those for me as well?”

“Yes.” Ian handed them to her.

“They're beautiful.” Emily sniffed them and couldn’t help but smile. They really were a lovely set of roses. This wasn’t the cheap kind…Ian had gone all out.

“I'm not an easy man to like Emily. I might be impossible to love.”

“I like you just fine Ian. What I need for you to understand is that love isn’t on my radar right now. I can't be bullied or guilted into it either. Who would want to be loved that way?”

“I'm going to try to be different.” Ian sat down in one of the fancy chairs. 

Emily Prentiss really was an uptown girl. At the end of the day he probably wasn’t good enough for her. Yet she still put up with him. It wasn’t just about the money and sex…she could get both anywhere and in abundance. Ian knew he wasn’t the first man who wanted to give her the moon. She’d been with him for six months and it didn’t show signs of slowing down. 

“I don’t want you to change because of me.” Emily said.

“Even if it’s for the better?” he asked.

“As long as it’s for the better for you.”

“Look, I had a long talk with Ray the other night.”

“About what?” Emily asked. She leaned back on the couch, smiling as the cat climbed into her lap. He really was a cutie pie. Ian picked the perfect gift.

“I told him I trust you. You’re not trying to be in my business and you're no threat to him. If he couldn’t trust you then he needed to trust me. I didn’t want to keep having the same conversation over and over again.”

“And what did Ray think of that?”

“He raised me up, Emily. Never once did he walk out on me like my own da. I don’t think he liked it but in the end decided to let me go with my gut. I've survived this long on it. Ray doesn’t believe in relationships. He thinks women are a pleasant distraction and nothing more. We can't all be so enlightened.”

“Enlightened?” she rolled her eyes. “Give me a break.”

“Can you just forgive me?” Ian asked. “I've been in agony this week; I've called a million times.”

“If we do this… _if_ Ian…we’re going to have to set up some ground rules.”

“I've never been good with rules.”

“Then you may as well leave right now.” Emily said.

“I'm listening.”

“I just want to have fun. You definitely need to have fun. We don’t need to be so serious or give each other ultimatums. You're going to spend time with other people and so am I. I'm not cheating on you Ian. I don’t want to be followed around or looked after like I'm the Princess of Wales or something. I don’t want to be trapped or closed in. When we’re together, I'm with you wholly and when we’re not we’re doing what makes us happy.”

“When you're with me I don’t want you with other men.” He said.

“I'm not.” She shook her head.

“I don’t have you followed…I just know a lot of people.”

“Tell them to look the other way when they see me.” Emily said.

“I can do that.” Ian didn’t know if he could but he would say it. 

It was a tough world out there. Some wannabe trying to rise on the totem pole might hurt Emily just because she was associated with him. How could he make her understand that without scaring her? She surely hadn't signed on for something like that.

“I'm thinking you probably can't.”

“Are you gonna give me a chance?” he asked.

“Yes.” Emily nodded.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Surely.”

Smiling, Emily put the cat back on the couch. She got up and went to sit on Ian’s lap. Now he was smiling too. It was tentative, she could tell. He didn’t know if he had her back or not. Emily decided not to console him…he could stay on his toes for a while.

“You owe me dinner and a movie.” She stroked his close cropped hair. He wore it like guys in the military did because he didn’t want people to know he was going gray. Barely into his 30s, Emily thought it might be caused by stress. Not that that was going away anytime soon.

“You're going to make me sit through _Peyton Place_?”

“I think that’ll put us somewhere around even.”

“You're heartless.” He kissed her. “I adore you anyway.”

“So I’ll put on something glamorous and we’ll make a night of it.” Emily went to jump off his lap but Ian grabbed her hand. He pulled her back.

“Don’t go just yet.” Slowly opening the front of her robe, Ian kissed her skin.

“Ian…Ian, no, not tonight.”

“What do you mean?” he murmured, his lips still on her.

Emily took his face in her hands and looked deep into his blue eyes.

“No sex.” She said.

“Huh?”

“No sex tonight. I want to go out, have a nice evening, and spend time together. I don’t want to have sex. You always express that you want more, well so do I.”

“OK, no sex.” Ian dropped his arms.

“That doesn’t mean we have to act like brother and sister. Oh my God Ian,” she laughed but there was little mirth in it. “You don’t even know how to do this, do you?”

“Then help me. You don’t have to laugh at my weaknesses.”

“I wouldn’t.” Emily hugged him. “I’d never laugh at you. I promise. Let me go upstairs and get dressed. You can make yourself a drink and relax a bit.”

“So this no sex thing, are we talking about tonight or…”

“Lets see how tonight goes. I’ll be back.”

Emily smiled as she walked up the stairs. She wasn’t going to torture the poor man. Ian Doyle loved sex. She did too as a matter of fact. 

But it’d be interesting to see what they both were without it. Emily didn’t think there had been a single night they’d been together where they hadn't had some type of sex. Tonight she just wanted to enjoy herself without putting on a performance. It might be a first for them both but it was one they would have together.

***

“Luciano?” one of his soldiers walked into the study, apologizing for interrupting him.

“Yes?”

“Derek Morgan would like to see you if you have a moment.”

“Of course, send him in.”

“Yes sir.”

The soldier nodded and walked out of the room. A few moments later, Derek knocked and walked in. Luciano stood from his chair and extended his hand.

“I really appreciate you seeing me sir, I know you're a busy man.” Derek shook his hand.

“My door is always open for you Derek. Sit down.”

He nodded and sat in one of the overstuffed chairs across from the large oak desk. Only rich people had studies and the Rossi house was the only rich one that Derek had ever been in. He lived in Harlem and it wasn’t that they were living badly. It just had nothing on what he saw here. His mother worked hard at the bank and managed to give them a good life despite all that had happened. He knew that Luciano’s generosity helped in that as well. Though there was some scholarship money involved, there was no way Sarah could afford to go to Radcliffe without his bank roll.

“How are you?” Luciano asked.

“I'm well thank you.”

“And your mother, how is she?”

“Good. She might be up for a promotion at the bank so we all have our fingers crossed.” Derek said.

“Her manager is a very smart man.” Luciano said with a smile. “I'm sure he’ll make the right decision. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I don’t want to make trouble but I'm worried about my sister.”

“Sarah?” Luciano asked.

“No, she's fine. It’s Desi. You know that she turned 15 this year.”

“Yes I do. She and my Camilla are the same age.”

“Well someone told me that a guy is showing interest in my little sister. I want him to stay away from her.”

“Who?”

“Rick Ware.” Derek replied.

“Are you sure? That guy is 25 years old if he’s a day.”

“I know and that’s part of the reason I want him away from her. He’s a gangster and a bum; my baby sister isn’t going out with a fool like that. I'm sorry if what I've said offends you.”

“My wife’s father thought the same thing about me.” Luciano said. “Hr was probably right. But Stella loved me anyway. Still, I'm suspicious that of all the girls, and surely women, in Harlem that Rick would happen to lock eyes with your sister.”

“So am I. I would never interfere in your business but I know that you’ve spoken to Harrison Scott on more than one occasion.”

“I have.” Luciano nodded.

“If you could possibly speak to him about this it would mean so much to me. I want to approach Ware myself, I even thought about it before I came here.”

“Why didn’t you? I'm curious to know.”

“I don’t want to start a war. It wouldn’t be the first time a woman has caused one…though my sister is just a girl. I wasn’t sure I could control my temper and I'm positive he can't control his. Scott can make him do things no one can.”

“True, and it was a mature thing to do not to start a beef.” Luciano said. “You're growing into a fine young man Derek and I'm glad you're here because there is something I need to discuss with you. I’ll get Ware to back off…you don’t need to lose another ounce of sleep about that. Now there is something that you must do for me.”

“Anything sir. I owe you so much for what you’ve done for my family over the years. A man stands up and keeps his promises. My father taught me that and you continue that legacy.”

“You owe me nothing, do you hear me? I mean that from the bottom of my heart. But there is something I want you to do. It's time to start thinking about the rest of your life. I surely hope you weren't intending to just shuffle around the streets of Harlem. That would kill your mother.”

“No sir.” Derek shook his head.

“Do you have any ideas?”

“I was actually thinking about the military.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean yes. My father went overseas during The Second World War and he told me amazing things. I bet he’d flip out now if he knew the military was actually desegregated. I don’t know if college is for me. But in the military I can learn so many trades and there will be travel and discipline. My father always said the army made him a man. I'm hoping the Marines will do the same for me.”

“Have you discussed it with your mother yet?” Luciano asked.

“No sir and I don’t think she’ll like it. But I've got to do what's best for me. I'm 18 years old now and you're right, I can't spend the rest of my days shuffling around Harlem. There's not a lot for a black man out there but maybe I'm the one who's supposed to break down more doors.”

“If you need anything you know I'm here to help you.”

“I do.” Derek nodded and got up from the chair. “Thanks so much for seeing me.”

“Anytime Derek.”

“Goodbye sir.”

He walked out of the room and closed the door. Luciano sighed, taking off his glasses. There was no way in hell that Rick Ware didn’t know who Desiree Morgan was. Of course the streets talked and things weren't always what they appeared. And just because he may have been chatting up a girl on a street corner didn’t mean he was after something. 

But Luciano knew from experience that you needed to be active in life and not reactive. If the guy had something in mind he would need to get it off his mind quickly. Desiree Morgan was as off limits are her brother. Picking up his phone, Luciano dialed the restaurant where Scott liked to spend his time. The two men were able to have rational conversations most of the time. He hoped this time would be no different.

***

Hotch loved art. When he was a little boy his mother used to bring him to The Met every Sunday. She died of cancer when Hotch was 13; he hadn't been back since. Today it should've brought back good memories but Hotch was officially the third wheel.

He didn’t even know why he was there…babysitting wasn’t his specialty. But Dave asked him to come along and enjoy an afternoon with him and Erin. Too bad the couple had already walked off chattering amongst themselves about the artwork. Hotch lagged behind and examined the Monets and Van Goghs.

“Hello Aaron Hotchner.”

“Hello.” He managed a smile when he saw Beth Clemmons coming his way. He hadn't seen her since the night they met at the Pepper Lounge.

“So you're an art lover?”

“Something like that.”

“I used to like to duck in here on rainy days myself and just escape into the paintings. Do you have a favorite?”

“No, I like them all. Um, what about you?”

“I think mine is Starry Night. My mind might change about that at any moment. I love paintings.”

“So that’s what you're doing today?” Hotch asked. “You're ducking in here on a rainy day?”

It had been the rainiest summer in Hotch’s recent memory. The clouds had cleared just long enough for the Independence Day fireworks but storms had returned. Something about them felt ominous to Hotch. He did his best to brush those feelings aside, even though it was proving difficult.

“Actually, I work here.” Beth couldn’t help but smile when she said it.

“You work at The Met?” 

“I'm just here for the summer. My Uncle works in Acquisitions and he was able to get me a spot. It’s nothing special; I just shuffle papers and type things right now. But it won't always be that way.”

“One day you'll be curator.” Hotch said.

“That’s the plan.” She nodded and smiled. “This isn’t the only museum in the city but it’s the most amazing. I do, from time to time, get a craving for the Museum of Modern Art though.”

“A friend told me they're going to be opening a Jackson Pollock exhibit there in a few weeks. Do you plan on seeing it?”

“I do now…I hadn't heard. I really love his work. I can stare at it a million different times and always see something new and exciting. Maybe if you're not too busy or something, we can see it together.”

“Oh, I…” Hotch cleared his throat.

“Its totally OK if you don’t want to.” Beth waved her hands in front of her and couldn’t seem to stop. “I didn’t mean to assume…”

“No, I didn’t mean to…”

“Wow, this is really weird.” She mumbled looking down at her flats.

“I’d like to go to the Pollock exhibit with you.” Hotch said it so fast he wasn’t quite sure the words that came out of his mouth were English. He saw Beth’s face change from embarrassed and slightly horrified to something a bit more relieved. He nodded. “Yes, I’d like to go.”

“Me too.” her dimples came out as she smiled.

“OK, that’s good.”

“Yeah. I'm sure it’ll be amazing. I better get back to work now. I don’t want my Uncle thinking he got me a job and I'm goofing off.”

“Do you wanna have lunch some time too?” Hotch asked. He almost let it go but knew in his gut this might be his only shot. Sometimes, even if it was hard, a man had to take his shot.

“Today?”

“Oh um…maybe Monday. What time do you get off?”

“Two o’clock.” Beth replied.

“I’ll pick you up at two then.”

“Yeah.” Beth didn’t know what else to say and felt like she was smiling like an idiot. She needed to walk away; it was the hardest thing she’d ever done. “Goodbye.”

“Bye.” He waved. “Oh wait, if you see me here in about an hour I'm actually with Dave. He’s here somewhere and I'm with him.”

“Should I ask?”

“Probably not.” Hotch shook his head.

“OK, I’ll see you on Monday Aaron.”

“Bye.”

He watched Beth walk away and then he went to look for Dave. He had no idea where the couple had gone. This was a big museum; Erin had been excited about coming this afternoon. Hotch didn’t know if he was ever going to find them. Surprisingly, that didn’t bother him one bit.

000

“Did you enjoy the Fourth of July holiday?” Dave asked. She’d been gone for an entire week and it was boring without her. He managed to fill up his days and nights. It wasn’t easy. It used to be easy but it wasn’t anymore.

“I really did.” Erin nodded. “I was glad the clouds cleared at least for one day. The fireworks were amazing. We were in Prospect Heights…a lot of my father’s family still lives there. Then we went and visited with my mother’s cousins on Chesapeake Bay.”

“Hotch, Morgan, and I went to a party in Central Park. It was a good time.”

“I'm sure there were lots of pretty girls there.”

“I didn’t notice.” He shook his head.

“You have eyes, David.”

“And they're looking at the most beautiful girl in the room.”

“I'm surrounded by priceless works of art.” Erin said.

“It only enhances your beauty.”

“Yeah right.” she smiled. “You are something else.”

“Its Friday night, let me take you to dinner.” He said.

“I’d much rather go someplace quiet. I'm not really the bar and club kinda girl. Unfortunately so many things in Manhattan are divided along lines that are difficult to cross.”

“We can ride through the Holland Tunnel and be in Hoboken in 10 minutes. It’s a place where no one knows our names.”

“I've actually never been there. Is it nice?”

“Its nothing spectacular but there are a few good restaurants there. If we go we can be alone Erin. We can talk and be close and…”

“And what David Rossi?” she smiled when he nuzzled close to her neck.

“And whatever you want.”

It had only been six weeks since she first met him. Erin couldn’t help it but she was beginning to feel as smitten as Dave said he was that night at the Pepper Lounge. Even though it wasn’t easy they were seeing each other about three times a week. She met him wherever she could, even if it was only for an hour. Today they were actually getting a little time to themselves. On a Friday afternoon there was little chance of being spotted by anyone associated with either the Rossi or Strauss family. In Hoboken there was none.

“I'm not sure I can get away.” Erin told him.

“Though she's not my biggest fan maybe you can tell your parents you have plans with Ursula.”

“She’s out of town with her family for the month.”

“She’s gone for the entire month?” Dave was aghast. If she wasn’t there then how would Erin be able to leave the house? Erich Strauss kept the leash tight on his daughter. He knew that it was to keep her safe but that made it no easier to stomach.

“They left earlier this week for The Hamptons; my father doesn’t know yet.”

“Does he ever have to find out?”

“He always finds out everything.” Erin replied.

“I sincerely hope that’s not true. What are we going to do?”

“I've been thinking about it.”

“You’ve been thinking about me?” Dave took a moment to smile through the devastating news.

“I've been thinking about it, David.” She gave him an elbow in the gut.

“Oh, I must've heard you wrong.”

“I’ll do my best, OK?”

“No pressure but I’d really love to see you tonight.”

“You're seeing me right now.” Erin took his hand and they started walking again. She was supposed to be enjoying the paintings. Art was one of her favorite things. There were some museums near her school while she was in Massachusetts but they had nothing on New York. Thankfully she wouldn’t be going to college too far away.

“The view is amazing.”

“Are you…?” she stopped looking at the Picasso and looked at Dave.

“I can't help myself Erin. I just…”

She kissed him. She just leaned in and pressed her lips on his. Dave was shocked but not unhappy. He wanted to deepen the kiss; she moved away before he could. His eyes were closed and a smile moved across his face.

“I've been looking all over for you guys.” Hotch said as he approached the couple. “What did I miss?”

“We’re having a conversation about Picasso.” Erin replied.

“And Hoboken.” Dave added.

“That sounds fascinating.” Hotch didn’t think it sounded fascinating at all.

“I know you wanted to get to the library this afternoon Aaron so if you need to go I think we’ll be OK.” Dave said.

“Are you sure?” it was hard to hide his excitement.

“I think I can keep him occupied.” Erin smiled when she said it.

“You guys be careful OK?” Hotch said.

“We’re fine.” Dave nodded.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“OK, I’ll see you. Bye Erin.”

“Goodbye Aaron.”

Hotch almost felt bad for leaving. If something happened to Dave while he wasn’t there he would never forgive himself. Dave was one of the only people he cared about in the world. He’d been there for him most of his life. It was clear to him that Dave was crazy about Erin Strauss though. 

He didn’t think it was the best idea in the world; in fact it was a bad idea. But Dave and Erin were dating now. At least it seemed as if they were. Dave told him recently about his father’s ultimatum. This was going to be the last carefree summer of his life. 

If he could he would spend each and every day with Erin. This was different than the things he had with the other girls. There was always a girl or two or three. Dave was a ladies man. 

They came and went at a rapid rate. Six weeks might not have been a lifetime but it was for his best friend. Hotch had no idea how it was going to end. He couldn’t even begin to guess.

***

“There's something about you.”

“What is there about me?”

“Oh there are a lot of things. It’s a mess of things really.”

“Are you saying that I'm a mess?” Gideon couldn’t help the little smirk on his face as he turned to look at her. 

Nora Bennett was in his bed. She was in his bed without a stitch of clothing. The room was hot; it smelled of humidity and mingled flesh. The sheet, which was down around her waist as she rested on her stomach stuck to her skin. She just looked at him as he looked at her. Jason couldn’t help but kiss her lips. He felt her smile against him.

“If I tell you something Jason, will you promise not to get skeptical or laugh?” she asked.

“I promise.”

“Everyone knew that my grandmother had the gift. It wasn’t talked about much, some thought it was a thing of the devil, but it was well known.”

“The gift?”

“She felt things. She saw things, believed them, and knew they would come to pass. She never exploited it but it was always there. When I was a little girl, about 6, she sat me down and told me that it skips a generation. My father didn’t have it…most men didn’t. She said it would come to me and I would know. You're probably the first person I'm telling this to.”

“You have it as well.”

“I knew when cancer was going to take my mother, even though they tried to keep her sickness from me as long as they could. I knew when it was my father’s time too. And I know there's something about you.”

“What?”

“That’s what I don’t know…but there's something. I'm drawn to you and I've never been drawn to anyone.”

“No one ever?” Jason asked.

“There was one person, once, but it wasn’t right. I knew that too. I know that I would have to wait and so I did.”

“I'm not skeptical about your gift, Nora. I just don’t think you should spend much time thinking about me.”

“Too late.” She took his hand and kissed it. “Who are you, Jason Gideon?”

“I'm an FBI Agent.” He couldn’t believe he said it. 

Jason opened his lips and those where the words that came out. Closing his eyes, he sighed and turned over on his side. What the hell was he thinking? She could cut his throat right now, or stab him in the back. Jason wouldn’t exactly blame her if she did.

“It’s a kamikaze mission.” 

“What?” the words made him turn back around. How could she possibly know that?

“They’re trying to get rid of you and to get outrage all in the same breath. That’s how you feel anyway.”

“Yes.” Jason nodded.

“So why don’t you just leave? You don’t have to do what they tell you to do. Lay down your shield and walk away.”

“I'm a man of justice first and foremost. I might be able to help.”

“Soon the city will be in flames.” Nora replied. “It’s inevitable. There are times of peace and times of war. This peace will soon come to an end.”

“Maybe I can stop it.” Jason said.

“You don’t even believe the words you're saying.” She put her arms around him and pulled him close.

“I used to. I used to believe a lot of things.”

“Which Goliath have they sent David in to battle?”

“It’s the mob. I came to your club that night to check out Harrison Scott. The FBI thinks that the Blacks and Irish are about to get into a bloody territorial battle. They think that the Italians and Germans could be pulling the strings. Lots of people could die for what amounts to a few square blocks.”

“It’s more than that…its hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Nora said. “The numbers game alone in Central Harlem has made Harrison Scott quite wealthy. Imagine if he was to get even a small piece of the pie in another neighborhood.”

“You have thoughts on it?” Jason asked.

“I have thoughts on everything.”

“Are you well acquainted with Harrison Scott?”

“He’s a local hero.” She replied. “He fought in the Second World War and came home with medals. He gives the young guys jobs, some legitimate and some not so much. 

“He gives out food at the holidays and makes sure the poor kids have coats. He’s even gotten rich white folks to donate and keep doors open at organizations that help our struggling community. He also runs numbers, hookers, his mouth, and is surely a murderer. Welcome to Harlem, Mr. Gideon…or should I call you Agent Gideon?”

“You can call me whatever you'd like.”

“Your blood shouldn’t be spilled in another man’s battle.”

“I have a job, Nora.”

“You'll probably need back up.” She said, teasing his lips with hers.

“Should I deputize you?” Jason managed a smile as he rolled them on the mattress. It squeaked under them as his body rested between her open thighs. He was going to take her again. He wouldn’t be able to help himself.

“Do I get a gun?” 

“Absolutely not.” He kissed her. He kissed her passionately and deep. Nora moaned, her body shivering under his.

“I'm a good shot; you might need me.”

“I do need you Nora.” He wrapped her leg around him. “It has nothing to do with guns. I need you to tell me what you feel now.”

“You already know Jason…you feel the same thing.”

***

“I've been looking all over for you.” Beth rushed into the beauty salon. She was breathless. “I don’t know why I didn’t just come here in the first place.”

“Its Saturday…this was the best place to look. I'm nearly done; you want to grab lunch afterward.”

“Sure.” 

She nodded and sat down in the chair next to Emily. Her hair was in loose curls. She sat at the table getting her nails done in a pale orange. Saturday was party night and Emily needed to make sure that she looked good. Ian didn’t say where he was taking her but surely it was a place to be seen.

“So what's going on with you tonight?” Emily asked.

“I’ll probably just hang out at home.” Beth replied. “This might sound square but _The Wizard of Oz_ is coming on television tonight. I'm going to watch with my mom, dad, and brother.”

“Oh my God, soooo square.” Emily laughed. “But seriously, that’s nice.”

“Don’t make fun.” Beth thumped Emily’s thigh with her fist.

“I'm not…honest to God. It’s a great movie and I know it’s always been one of your favorites. So what's up Doc? Why were you looking for me?”

“Well there's something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Speak now or forever hold your peace.” 

“I saw Aaron Hotchner at my job.” She said.

“Hotch was at the museum?”

“Yeah.” Beth nodded. 

“That’s cool. I haven’t been there in the longest time. Maybe one of these days I’ll drag Ian over for one of the exhibits. He loves artwork.”

“He asked me out, Emily. Well actually I kinda asked him out…I think. I'm not sure but I do want to go out with him.”

“Oh.” Emily stopped for a moment but then smiled. “OK.”

“I swear I won't do it if it bothers you. You’re my friend; I would never step on your toes. He's cute, and I like him but I'm not that kind of girl.”

“You're a total good girl, Beth. Liking Aaron Hotchner isn’t going to change that.”

Emily held back the disdain in her voice because it was misplaced. Beth was a real friend in this world and Emily might count her as one of the few. There were plenty of acquaintances, people who wanted to party and men who wanted to get in her pants. With Beth she could just be a 17 year old girl. 

She could tell Beth things and never be judged. The relationship was a port in the storm. Why wouldn’t she want someone as good as that to do something that made her happy? It wasn’t as if Emily stood a chance in hell with a guy like Aaron Hotchner anyway. 

They were from the same kind of family; ran in the same circles. In another life they may have been made for each other. Emily wasn’t living another life. She was just trying to survive this one.

“Are you sure Emily?” Beth asked. “Are you really, really sure?”

“I'm sure. Where is he taking you?”

“We’re just going to have lunch on Monday after I get off work. When I ran into him on Friday we talked about art and the Pollock exhibit coming to the Museum of Modern Art. I asked if he wanted to go see it together and…OK, I guess that means I asked him out. He said yeah.”

“Go for it.” Emily looked at her nails as the manicurist finished up. “He's not that guy who paws all over you or tries to play a round of backseat bingo. I mean I'm sure he would if you wanted to, but no pressure.”

“Should I be worried about the Dave Rossi thing?”

“They spend a lot of time together but it’s not like they're three letter men. Look, I was a little worried there for a while too but the truth is they're like brothers. I'm serious. Dave is faster than any girl I've ever met. He is all about the ladies.”

“I didn’t mean that. I meant the M-O-B.” Beth lowered her voice when she said it.

“Oh, well you’ve gotta deal with that one.” Emily got up and started to walk to the front desk. Beth followed. “If there's one thing I can tell you about a connected man it's that you can't ask him to choose between you and his business.”

“But he isn’t connected, is he?”

“Kinda.”

“What does kinda mean?”

Emily paid for her services and then she left with Beth. The teenage girls went to the corner and Emily hailed a cab.

“Where are we going?” Beth asked as one pulled up to the corner and they climbed in.

“I'm in the mood for the Empire Diner.” Emily replied. “There's no way I'm walking to Chelsea.”

“OK.”

“Don’t worry about the connected thing, Beth. Hotch is his own man and he’s not going into that business. He's a good guy; you're going to have a nice time with him. So tell me what you're going to wear to work on Monday.”

Beth smiled. She didn’t mean to gush but it wasn’t as if she hadn't thought about this. She was debating about the lavender skirt with the white blouse. But she might be able to get away with the black slacks and the red shell. She was thinking about wearing her hair up like Audrey Hepburn in the party scene in _Sabrina_. 

There was also the green dress in the back of her closet. It might be a bit dressy for the back of the museum and then lunch at the diner. Beth was nervous. This was her first real date. She’d been to movies and dinners with boys in groups. 

Most of the time she was too busy with school or all the activities her parents involved her in. Now, the summer before college, she was doing things girls had been doing for years now. So many of the girls she knew from St. Anne’s were getting engaged and even married this summer and fall. Beth was far behind. That didn’t mean she wasn’t enthusiastic and ready.

“I'm really excited about this.” Beth said smiling.

“I bet; its awesome.” Emily did the same. “This is going to be great.”

***

Erich Strauss walked into the Men’s Bar at the Biltmore Hotel on Monday afternoon. He was late, which would usually annoy him, but this meeting could wait. He didn’t need anyone to show him to the table since they'd sat at the same one for every encounter. Erich stopped for handshakes and small talk with some of the elite of Manhattan. He and his wife Joanna were very important people in this town.

They were philanthropists and patrons of the arts. Joanna also wrote, which made her a part of some very important circles. Her family, the Parkinsons, was high society British and it didn’t change when they came to the shores of the New World. They sat on boards, built schools and hotels, and could trace their blood lineage back to James VI of England. Erich Strauss married up. The persona he created for himself through education and persistence fit right in amongst those he hobnobbed with.

“Luciano,” Erich held out his hand as he approached the table.

“It’s good to see you again Erich. I appreciate you meeting me on such short notice.”

“I'm concerned it’s something serious since our face to face meetings are so few.” Erich sat down across from him. 

When the server came over, he ordered a glass of ginger ale with a cherry. Erich Strauss didn’t drink. And the man sitting across from him with a tumbler of whiskey didn’t bother him one bit. Things that altered the mind or body didn’t appeal to him.

“We may have a problem.” Luciano said.

“I'm listening.”

“Rick Ware has been making inappropriate moves on Desiree Morgan.” 

“Forgive me but I don’t see why the misadventures of two colored kids should be of any concern to me. Wait, is she not colored?”

“Desiree Morgan is colored but she's also Derek Morgan’s younger sister. Everyone in this town knows that the Morgan children are under my care.”

“Ahh.” Erich nodded. “Luciano, it sounds to me as if you have a problem.”

“If Rick Ware thinks he can spit in my face do you think he’ll give a damn about spitting in yours.”

“He's a young upstart.” Erich waved away the notion with his hand. “Sometimes we get too big for our britches at that age. If his people don’t know how to control him then believe me when I tell you that mine do.”

He thanked the server when his ginger ale was placed on the table. Erich took a sip and smiled.

“Why did you really call me here, Luciano?”

“Don’t you feel it in the air?”

“What am I supposed to be feeling?” he asked.

“There are changes coming. And no change is complete without the annihilation of what came before. Oh forgive me; I know your people get nervous when they hear the world annihilation.”

“The only change I feel coming was precipitated by you. You should know by now that if you get in bed with a dog you will surely walk away with fleas. What were you thinking, giving a share of East Harlem to Scott?”

“The deal hasn’t gone through yet.” Luciano replied. “He's getting nothing but his own people anyway. There are a couple of neighborhoods up there filled with blacks who would rather make their way down Amsterdam and put their numbers in with him then work with my guys. 

“I'm basically giving him what is already his. He’s not going to be able to touch the Italians in Morningside or Hamilton. I'm also going to be getting 10% off the top before Scott even divides it up amongst his people. It’s not a bad deal.”

“If he gets it in his head that he’s moving uptown he may step out of place.” Erich said.

“He’s fought for everything he has just like I have. This is just business. I roll over for no one but I can admit to stretching myself too thin going up that far. Now I can concentrate on more important things while still taking in proceeds from business up there. But this isn’t about Scott. The Micks are getting antsy.”

“I think they come out of the womb that way.” the German rolled his eyes. “All the drinking doesn't help.”

“The boys Finnegan raises up are trained killers.” Luciano said. “They have no regard for human life, not even their own. They’re going to snap soon and there could be a lot of collateral damage.”

“What are you not telling me?” Erich asked.

“Just call it a feeling; something is happening. Finnegan is getting tired of being confined and wants to break out of his cage. He can't even get a seat at the bar, much less the table. Let’s say someone gets popped. 

“That means someone else will get popped and it will go round and round and round. When the dust settles someone’s organization might be all but obliterated. The truth of the matter is that some business we conduct has to be done. If the Irish are the only ones providing it, or doing so safely, then people are going to go to the Irish.”

“His street thugs don’t even know what real war is.”

“They have nothing to lose Erich. We have everything. Do you know they don’t even have families? Finnegan says wives and children are a distraction and another person to keep safe. If he slits your children’s throats what are you going to do?”

“He’ll wish he was dead if he even thinks about my children.” Erich said.

“What does it matter, since there are at least three in line to take his place? It might be time to stop underestimating him.”

“It might be time to be rid of him.”

“You don’t have as many ears to the street as I do.” Luciano said. “You may be getting information when it’s too late or even useless.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Nothing at the moment; that might not always be the case. I think all of us can survive and thrive with what we have right now. I think wanting more, seeking to take what's not rightfully yours, will lead to a downfall. I cannot let it be mine. I want the cease fire to continue.”

“I find it’s been good for me as well.” Erich nodded. He sipped more of his ginger ale. “You brought me all the way down here to tell me that things should stay as they are?”

“I brought you down here to tell you to watch your back, Erich. How can things stay as they are if I didn’t do that?”

“I surely appreciate you bringing me your concerns.” He stood up and smoothed out his dress slacks. “The next time you take me away from work though it would be nice if you had more than a feeling in your belly.”

Luciano nodded but said nothing. Erich was a jackass, everyone knew it. He could’ve left him out there flying blind, had actually thought about it, but had made promises. If he turned his back on his word then what did Luciano have? They both had families to protect and lives they wanted to lead. If a madman who didn’t give a damn about any of that decided it was time to strike, lord have mercy on them all.

***

Ian wasn’t in bed when Emily woke up. Sergio was curled up beside her but her boyfriend was gone. She got up, wrapping the silk robe from the bottom of the bed around her. The smell of cigarette smoke wafted from downstairs so Emily followed it. Ian sat on her couch smoking; a full ashtray was on the coffee table in front of him.

“Ian?”

“Go back to sleep, lass.”

“Not until you talk to me about what's bugging you. You’ve been strange all night.”

She sat beside him on the couch and took one of the cigarettes. Emily didn’t know what was wrong but something was. Ian could compartmentalize even better than she and Emily was an expert. If the worry showed then the problem was big. She hoped this wasn’t about her again. So much strife wasn’t needed over a relationship.

“I left something for you in the nightstand drawer.” He said.

“Is it a present?” 

“It’s all I have, Emily. If something happens to me then it’s yours.”

“Why would something happen to you?” she asked.

“It’s the price of doing business.”

“I don’t even want to know.” Emily shook her head.

“Good, because I wasn’t telling you.” he put out his cigarette.

“But you are telling me Ian. You're telling me that something is going to happen to you. 500 street soldiers and you're a marked man. What kind of sense does that make? Dammit, I hate Ray.”

“He's been better to me than a soul alive.” Ian replied. “Well, except for you. Ray is family.”

“Family doesn’t put you in danger.”

“This is my life Emily!” he didn’t mean to shout but he did. Sometimes she understood too much. Other times she didn’t understand at all. How could Ian really expect her to? “We’re at war and a man shouldn’t be afraid to die in battle. If he is then he's a coward.”

Emily just looked at him. War, what the hell was he talking about? There was no war; the war was over. She didn’t want to say he was brainwashed but he sounded so resigned. Ian sounded dead on the inside. He told her that he loved her. To Emily it seemed impossible that he could feel any emotion, as much as he might want to. She slipped her hand in his and Ian just looked at her.

“You already know what's coming, don’t you?” she took one last puff and her cigarette went into the ashtray too.

“I just know it could get bad. Nothing is going to happen to you. I don’t like to make promises but I can promise you that.”

“I don’t want promises Ian, I just want you.” she said.

“Can you record that and play it back a few times?” he managed to smile when he asked.

“Don’t push your luck buddy.”

Emily laughed and put her forehead on his shoulder. Ian sighed, wrapping his arm around her. He didn’t want to scare her; she couldn’t find out what a monster he really was. Ian didn’t think he was a monster but he was sure that Emily would. It was a human response to the sometimes inhuman things that he had to do. Ian could no more change what he’d been through and who he’d become than change the color of his eyes.

“Open your palm.” He said.

Emily did and Ian dropped the ring in it. It was on a long chain.

“You wouldn’t marry me, you shouldn’t marry me, but I want you to have this.”

“This is the strangest engagement ring I've ever seen.” She held up the chain and examined the band of gold on the end.

“That’s my Da’s wedding band. When he walked out on Mum and me he left it behind. The bastard actually left a note telling her to sell it when times got tough. She was too sentimental…held onto it all that time.”

“She gave it to you?”

“I stole it. I planned to sell the damn thing to get passage to America.”

“It looks like your plan didn’t work.” Emily said.

“Maybe I was as sentimental as she was.” Ian didn’t sound happy when he said it. “I want you to have it now.”

“It’s beautiful Ian.”

They were quiet for a while and then Emily stood from the couch. She reached out her hands to him.

“I don’t want anymore sadness; its time to go to bed.”

“I doubt I can. There's a lot on my mind.”

“Let me take it off.” Emily said.

“You're surely the only person who can.”

“Take my hand, Ian.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and then took her hand. Emily pulled him up from the couch, wrapping her arms around his midsection. Ian dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

“I'm being a storm cloud to your sunny day.” He whispered.

“If you think I'm a sunny day then you don’t know me as well as you think.”

“I love you anyway…you're my sunshine.”

Emily smiled. She took his face in her hands, drawing him into a kiss. Then she led him up to the bedroom. Not since they’d met had Emily seen Ian so dark. She knew that he wasn’t going to open up. 

He kept his business close to the cuff for a lot of reasons. The first was because he never had, and never wanted anyone to share it with. The second was because Emily was safer that way. She appreciated and respected those reasons. While he was here she would do her best to hold onto him. When the time came to let go, if that time came, Emily would do her best to do that too.

***

“I’ll have you know, David Rossi, that I am not that kind of girl.” Erin laughed when she said it. She sat on the bed, slipping out of her shoes before sliding across the lumpy mattress. Resting against the pillows, Erin held her knees to her chest and rested her cheek on them.

“What kind of girl is that?” he asked. Dave couldn’t help but look at her the way he looked at her. She was beautiful. Erin left him breathless all the time. He tried to catch his breath but failed.

“I don’t come to motels in The Bronx with strange men.”

“I'm not that strange.” He sat down on the bed too.

“Well…” she rolled her eyes.

“I'm not trying to put you in a compromising position, Erin. I think you already know that. I just wanted to be alone with you. I want to be quiet, hear nothing but our heartbeats, and not have to worry. I know you always worry that we’ll be caught together.”

“If someone followed us all the way to The Bronx then we deserve it.” she smiled.

“I have to agree.” Dave leaned in and kissed her. “Mmm, you taste like a root beer float.”

“You like root beer floats, Rossi?”

“I like your lips.”

He smiled when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Dave really could kiss her all day. Just when he thought it got no better than talking and flirting, she would use her lips.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Erin whispered. Her lips were still close to his. She could feel Dave’s breath warm on her face.

“Mmm hmm.”

“You're only the third boy I kissed.”

“Three is a lucky number in a lot of cultures.” Dave kissed her again.

“You’ve kissed a lot more girls than that.”

“The present is more important than the past.” He kissed her nose.

“I'm enjoying the present.”

“So am I Erin.”

They kissed again until they could barely breathe. A few deep breaths later and they dove right back in. Erin slid down on the bed, pulling Dave even closer to her. He felt her body shiver underneath his as he kissed her. Dave shivered as well. Her back arched when his lips trailed along her chin, the underside, her neck, and then her throat.

“Mmm David.” She gripped the back of his tee shirt.

“I'm not sure I can stop kissing you.”

“I'm not asking you to.”

“Erin…”

Dave did stop for a moment. He took her face in his hands and looked deep into her blue eyes. She smiled, caressing his hand.

“Be my girl.” He said.

“What have I been doing all this time?” she asked.

“You were auditioning me for the part.”

“You got it a while back. You want to know what put you over the top?”

“It was my winning smile, wasn’t it? You’re crazy about my smile.”

“I'm crazy about you, David.”

He kissed her again, and Erin responded with enthusiasm. She may not have kissed many guys in her life but Dave could say she was an amazing kisser. He hoped she knew that.

“You're beautiful; you're amazing.” He whispered.

“Could you say that a little louder please?” she giggled.

“You're beautiful.” Dave spoke up. “You're amazing.”

“Am I worth it?”

“What? Of course you're worth it.”

“If we have to keep hiding, trying to live our lives in dusty motel rooms, the shine will wear off quickly. Love is like a flower. It needs light and rain and care to grow.”

“No one will understand.” He shook his head. “Your father will lose it…and I don’t think mine will be too pleased. But I constantly worry that your father will send you away. How can I love you if you're not here? How can I love you after only two months? I ask myself this everyday and all I can tell you is that I do. I truly and wholly do."

“What about five years from now? What about ten? I'm ready to face whatever we have to face if we’re going to do this. Secret romances are only fun in novels. I want this to be real, David.”

“You're even braver than I gave you credit for. Believe me when I tell you that I gave you a lot of credit.”

“It’s not just about you.” She sat up on her elbows.

“What do you mean?”

“It's what we talked about. My freedom means everything to me and I haven’t had any since I returned to Manhattan. I can't live like that and no one should have to. I try to understand but I don’t want that kind of life. If I want my freedom then I have to stand up for it.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Is it me or is it the freedom, Erin? Your father has no right to make you feel trapped. I understand the need to be free. I just want to make sure you don’t feel like you have to do anything…”

“You don’t want me to use you as a rescuer.” She said.

“Well…”

“It’s alright David. I understand your worry but that’s not what I'm doing. If I just wanted to be free from my father I would marry one of the many eligible young men he’s paraded in front of me. I'm not saying that you and I are forever but we deserve the space to figure it out. If they pull us apart we’re just going to cling together out of stubbornness. It can be better than that.”

“Its already pretty good.” Dave grinned as he wrapped her back in his embrace.

“It can be better.” Erin repeated.

“Do you care to be more specific, Miss Strauss?”

“I’ll show you, how does that sound?”

Dave couldn’t answer before she kissed him. Showing him sounded like an excellent idea. There wasn’t an inch of room to complain.

000

“Erin?”

“Oh my God, what are you doing here?”

She and Dave were stopped in their tracks as they walked out of the motel room. Her cousin, Sam Kassmeyer, was leaning on his red and white Pontiac Chief Star hard top. His arms were crossed as he watched them.

“You need to get in the car.” Sam said.

“What are you doing here?” Erin repeated.

“Does it even matter?” he asked. “I’ll tell you this, if I can find you then anyone else can. I think the better question is what are you doing here with him?”

“Sam…”

“You just need to come with me, Erin. This is important.”

“Is something wrong? Oh God, are my parents alright?”

“They're fine.” He replied.

She relaxed a little. Still holding Dave’s hand, she didn’t make a move to go with Sam.

“I can take her home, Kassmeyer. It might be better if you just got out of here.”

“I'm not going anywhere.” Sam shook his head.

“We’re not going to stand out here and fight.” Erin said. “This is ridiculous.”

“It certainly is.” Sam said. “That’s why you need to get into the car. What were you thinking, just coming to a motel.”

“I'm an adult…you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

“Erin!”

Sam raising his voice concerned her. He wasn’t the kind to yell and be a caveman. She also heard it in his voice. It wasn’t just anger, though that was there. It was concern and worry. 

Sam had always been like an older brother to her. He was only a year older than her and they grew up together. She could talk to him and trust him. That didn’t mean that he wasn’t there to do her father’s bidding. 

It didn’t seem probable but Erin was confused. How did he even find them in the first place? If she and Dave weren't safe in The Bronx then she felt like they couldn’t go anywhere. This was her nightmare come true.

“Let’s talk over here.”

Dave followed her back over to the door of the room that they just left. Erin didn’t look worried or scared but she did look concerned. Not knowing what else to do, Dave just pulled her to him and held her there. Erin exhaled and held him just as tight.

“I need to go.” She whispered.

“You don’t have to leave with him.”

“He's not like my father, David. I don’t know why he's here but I’ll find out.”

“When am I going to see you again?” he asked.

“I’ll call you.”

“Erin…”

“I promise.” she kissed him. “This isn’t going to change anything between us.”

“I don’t want to ask you to promise but…”

“Then don’t. I’ll call you.”

Hugging him once more, Erin walked over to Sam. He went to the car and opened the door for her. Dave just watched as Sam got into the car too. The two young men didn’t take their eyes off each other until Sam was in the driver’s seat. He started the ignition, pulling out of the parking lot of the motel.

“How did you even find me?” Erin asked after a long silence between the cousins.

“I followed you.”

“Why would you do that Sam?” she looked at him with wide blue eyes.

“Your mother called me the other day. She thanked me for being there for you, spending time with you, and helping you get acclimated to life in the city again.”

“Oh God, Mum and her endless need to be polite.” Erin rolled her eyes.

“I knew you were lying to her and that concerned me. You don’t lie to your mother. So I followed you. What are you doing with that guy?”

“You don’t have to say it like that. You don’t even know David.”

“First of all, he's a mobster. Secondly…”

“Sam, I love you but you don’t know him. Saying that David is a mobster is like saying that I am. We’re our father’s children, not our fathers. Please don’t judge someone you don’t know. Isn't that something you told me over and over as we were growing up.”

“Your father would have a cow if he found out.”

“He won't.” Erin said.

“So what is this, some summer fling?”

“I don't know…no…I don't know.”

“Are you falling in love with him?” Sam couldn’t help the horrified tone of voice as he stopped at a red light.

“What's happening between David and I, it’s our business.” She sighed, digging into her purse for a cigarette. “Sam I haven’t done this before. I just want to do this.”

“Why this guy? There are like 4 million guys in New York and you pick David Rossi.”

“Yes, I did. End of discussion.”

They didn’t talk after that. Erin just smoked her cigarette and watched the scenery go by. Sam turned on the radio; Elvis Presley played. It was better than the silence. They would have to talk eventually. 

Sam was probably the only one who knew her secret. There was no way this was going to end well. He didn’t like to think about who his Uncle Erich truly was though he knew full well. And there were men on his payroll that killed people for a living. 

David Rossi was just a young man. He didn't deserve to die for dating a girl. Sam surely didn’t want Erin getting hurt. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

***

“I'm sorry I'm late Ma.” Dave walked into the kitchen as his mother sat at the table. She was listening to Dean Martin on the radio. “I was looking into some work for later on this year. Pop wants me to get a job so I'm trying to get a job. I lost track of time and I'm sorry.”

“You only apologize twice when you're not being truthful.” Stella said.

“What?” Dave stopped to look at her.

“There’s manicotti warming in the oven. I wasn’t sure if you'd be hungry when you came back.”

“Oh, yeah, I'm starved. Thanks for saving me some. Where’s Pop?”

“He took your sisters out for ice cream and a walk around the neighborhood. It’ll give us an opportunity to talk.”

“What do you wanna talk about?”

Dave grabbed a plate from the cabinet. Then he opened the oven. The smell of manicotti made him smile. No one cooked like his mother. 

Some of his aunts tried but his grandmother had given her the gift. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert; Stella Rossi’s meals put every other woman to shame. For just a moment Dave let himself wonder if Erin knew how to cook. It didn’t seem likely but he wasn’t going to judge.

“I want to talk about her, David.”

“Who?”

“This girl you're in love with. And don’t you dare tell me you're not or give me some silly one word answer or something that isn’t an answer at all.”

“Its not gonna work Ma.” He sighed, grabbing up a plateful of food and some tea from the fridge.

“Do you love her?”

“I…I don’t know if I want to talk about it. It’s complicated.”

“She's not Italian.” Stella said.

“No.” Dave shook his head.

“It’s not the worse thing in the world. It would be better if she was but there are ways around that. Is she a Catholic?”

“I don’t even know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? How do you not know?”

“We don’t discuss Mass, Ma. I don’t know.”

“You realize that you haven’t been out all night in weeks.” Stella said. “You stay home, or disappear in the afternoon and come home in the evenings. You talk on the phone late at night. I'm sure you thought no one would notice. Since I've been back from Wildwood I've noticed a change in you.”

“For the better?” Dave asked.

“It’s just a change, David. Tell me about her.”

“She's amazing.” He smiled and let out the breath he’d been holding since the conversation started. “She’s so smart and going to college in the fall. She’s funny and pretty and for some strange reason she probably feels about me just like I feel about her. How do you fall in love with someone in a couple of months? 

“How do you go from not knowing a person exists to not wanting to live without them? What do you do when you're faced with the possibility of doing just that? She doesn’t have to settle, Ma. She can have the whole world if she wants it. Why would she want me?”

“Well why wouldn’t she?” Stella countered. “You're a handsome man; you look just like your father. You’re smart and fun to be with. You never look down on people. 

“You’re kind and a little bit of trouble. All girls love a little bit of trouble. One day you're going to get it all together and be a good husband and father. She’d be lucky to snag you on the ground floor as your Aunt Sophia says. We raised you right. If she doesn’t see that then she’s blind.”

“She sees it.” Dave contemplated what to say next as he ate his dinner. How bad did he just want to say her name, say it aloud and make it all real? His mother would probably do the sign of the cross and rush out to St. Cecelia’s to pray for his soul. She’d probably damn Erin to hell. He had enough problems, he didn’t need that. “I know that she sees it. This whole thing is just more complicated than either of us intended.”

“Is she going steady with some other boy? I'm sure you're better than him David, though I am your mother so it’s my job to say.”

“It’s Erin Strauss.”

There he said it. He said it and locusts hadn't descended upon the Rossi kitchen…yet. Dave just looked at his mother as she looked at him.

“She’s German? Are her parents from here or the Fatherland?”

“Erin Strauss, Ma. She’s Erich Strauss’ daughter.”

“Oh David.” Stella Rossi closed her eyes. “I don’t think you can do anything without doing it big. You get that from your father.”

“Don’t tell him. We’ll end it, its never going to work anyway. Just please don’t tell him.”

“You're willing to give up on the girl you love because your father might not like it. If your father had done that you wouldn’t even be in the world.”

“What?”

“Your grandfather, God rest his soul,” she did the sign of the cross. “He hated your father. He thought he was a bum though at the time we met Luciano had two jobs. He was from Mulberry Street and all of those guys were connected somehow. It didn’t matter what anyone told him; my father believed what he believed. I married Luciano anyway. I knew I loved him on our third date.”

“Grandpa came around.” Dave said.

“Not really. He never stopped loving me and he surely loved you guys when you came along but he rarely had a kind word for Luciano. Your father accepted it. He didn’t marry my father…he married me.”

“Erich Strauss would string me up and parade me down Fifth Avenue before he let me carry on with his daughter.”

“It looks as if that’s already happening.”

“Why aren’t you blowing your stack, Ma?” Dave couldn’t help but ask. “I imagined there would be lots of praying and crying and maybe even some slapping.”

“I just hope she's a Catholic, Davey. Other than that, I just can't imagine that she isn’t amazing if you love her so much.”

“You're not gonna tell Pop are you?”

“No,” Stella shook her head. “But I hope you will someday. You can't keep her hidden away forever.”

“That’s where the complications come in. It might not work out. We might not be able to live the way we want to live. I admire you so much for your bravery and standing up to your father for the man you loved. I'm not sure Erin can. She says she can but her father is a powerful man.”

Dave got quiet after that and luckily his mother didn’t ask anymore questions. He felt some relief at just talking about it. The relief didn’t last long since he felt like it was over. Dave couldn’t quite explain the feelings but they were there and they were strong. Watching her get into Sam’s car without making a promise nearly split him in two. How could it work? How could they stop their fathers’ war long enough to pursue their own happiness?

***

“It’s not as good as _The Philadelphia Story_.”

“No,” Beth smiled, shaking her head as she sipped her strawberry milkshake. “I still liked it though. I um…Frank Sinatra.”

“What about Frank Sinatra?” Hotch ate some French fries.

“I like him; I like his voice. I love his eyes.”

“Aha, you have a thing for Frank Sinatra.” He smiled and his dimples showed.

“I wouldn’t say a thing.”

“I would.”

“No one asked you.” Beth said.

Hotch laughed. They’d gone to the movies tonight; _High Society_ played at the Metro Theater. It was only about 7 blocks from where Beth lived so they were able to take a nice summer walk. Now they were at Max’s Burgers and Shakes enjoying an after movie snack.

“Grace Kelly was beautiful.” He said. “Her voice wasn’t much to write home about but she’s beautiful.”

“Can you believe she’s married to a prince?” Beth gushed. “I mean as if her life isn’t awesome enough and then she rules a whole country. It’s a dream come true.”

“I try not to covet.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we never know what someone’s life is really like. I'm sure its not all Parade Magazine makes it out to be. Do you read those magazines much?”

“Sometimes.” Beth made a face. “My mother loves them and we have a few at home. I'm sure they make it look more glamorous than it all is. Still, I'm sure it’s a little glamorous.”

“A little.” He nodded.

“I had a really nice time tonight Aaron.”

“Me too.”

“I'm glad we’re doing this.”

“Me too.”

“I’d like to keep doing it. And don’t you say me too.” Beth pointed at him and laughed.

“What do you want me to say?”

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

“Well I've never really dated before. God, that must make me sound like a prime catch.” Hotch rolled his eyes.

“I don’t think about you like that. That’s not to say that I think about you, it’s just…”

“Well I hope you think about me.” Hotch looked down at the Formica table. “I think about you.”

“You do?” Beth asked.

“I do.” he nodded. “I'm having a good time and I don’t often have a good time.”

“I'm glad I could be a part of that. And the Pollock exhibit is next week. That’s going to be a lot of fun.”

“The summer is moving too fast. Soon I’ll be back in classes learning the law.”

“I’ll be at Barnard, surely looking for a way to escape hitting the books. I'm excited about college to be sure but I don’t want to stop having a good time just because there’s studying to do.”

“We’ll be in the same city.” Hotch said. “We could get together for movies or lunches or things like that. I mean we can if you're interested in something like that.”

“We can go to museums and I can bore you with all the talk about artwork.” Beth said.

“You never bore me.” he shook his head.

Without thinking, Hotch put his hand on top of hers on the table. He liked Beth. In high school he had one girlfriend, Haley Brooks, but it didn’t work out. Those things weren't always expected to. It wasn’t easy for him to date. 

Hotch was quiet and smart. He wouldn’t say he was shy but his father was demanding of his time. There had always been school and sports and other activities that he better excel at. There wasn’t a lot of time to be a normal teenager. It was even harder because he didn’t have many people to talk to about things like girls and sex. 

There was Dave but Hotch didn’t do that often. His best friend had his own ideas about things and didn’t mind talking about them…incessantly. With Beth he didn’t have to be something he wasn’t. He could be quiet, he could be smart, and he could even be sarcastic. They played well off each other. Even when they were both saying what they thought might be the wrong thing, laughing together was nice too.

“I appreciate that.” Beth said. “Sometimes I worry about that.”

“Don’t.”

“OK.”

She smiled and looked down at their hands. Hotch was a great guy and Beth surely wouldn’t mind calling him her boyfriend. He was the kind of guy you took home to mom and dad when it was time. He was smart and funny and very kind. She never had to worry about him making a pass at her or putting her in position that made her uncomfortable. Hell, she even kissed him first. 

Though Hotch was surprised he didn’t seem to dislike it. They’d kissed a few times since and it had been nice. Taking it slow was good; there was no need to rush. They were young but that didn’t mean they had to be reckless. And even though he didn’t come right out and ask her to go steady or whatever boys did these days, Beth would wait. She’d feel her way around some more and make the most of the time they spent together.

“Do you want to come with me to the park on Sunday?” Hotch asked. “I just finished a new model airplane and I was going to fly it for fun. I don’t think I told you but I build model airplanes. This one is a Hawker Hunter Strike Fighter. The Royal Navy uses them and it’s a brand new model. My father bought it back from his trip to London.”

“I’d love to come. I could pack us lunch and we could make an afternoon of it.”

“Great.” His dimples were showing again. “Are you sure you don’t have plans?”

“I don’t have plans Aaron.” she shook her head. “I might see a movie with Emily on Saturday afternoon but I'm free after that. And then there's work on Monday. Sunday is fine.”

“Are you two very close; you and Emily?”

“She’s been my closest friend for a few years now. We hung out a lot in high school. Emily hated it; she needed someone to keep her motivated. We just did what girls do, you know. I'm not even a Catholic so she definitely helped me out there.”

“You're a Protestant in Catholic school?” Hotch raised an eyebrow.

“Well my mother was raised Catholic so she wanted my brother and I to have a solid Catholic education. My father doesn’t practice anything so he was indifferent. The only Mass I've ever been to was at St. Anne’s. Emily and I passed notes most of the time. Have you known her a long time?”

“I’ve known her for most of my life though we didn’t hang out together or anything. Our parents ran in the same social circles or whatever you want to call it. I don’t know her well but I know her if that makes sense.”

“All the boys from St. Michael’s chased her.” Beth said. “She wasn’t really interested in them. She dated a few college boys when we were seniors. I'm hoping that she's going to join me at Barnard in the fall. It might be getting serious with Ian Doyle though so I don’t know.”

“Is it really? What does she see in that guy?”

“You'd have to ask her. I don’t know him very well and my mother would flip if I ever hung out with him, though I have once or twice. I admit to having fun the few times we’ve gone to The Pepper Lounge or Mickey’s Pub but I have to sneak out to those places. My parents would never just allow me to go.”

“You don’t sneak out much?” Hotch squeezed her hand a bit when he asked.

“I didn’t say that.” she smiled. “I just don’t sneak out to the clubs and connected bars. There are so many other things to do in the city. Do you go to the Village often?”

“No.”

“You like Jackson Pollock but don’t go to the Village? That’s where his creativity was fostered and blossomed. I know a lot of great spots where there’s music and acting and poetry; it’s amazing. The Gaslight Coffee House is phenomenal. They have readings there almost every night and people are just hanging out, talking, and creating new things. I’ll show you around there sometime. When I sneak out of the house that’s where I go. Do you sneak out of the house much?”

“I think I do now.”

***

“You're coming home.”

“When?” Jason stopped buttoning his shirt. He actually just stopped moving in the middle of the floor.

“I’ll have you back within the week Jason.” Kirk replied. “Greer is dragging his feet but the truth is that you're being wasted there. Your formidable skills could be used elsewhere to your benefits and the Bureau’s.”

“I don’t want you standing on the line for me.”

“I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about there. Jim Greer doesn’t scare me, and if he drags his feet for one more day then I'm going to the Associate Director. Don’t tell anyone I told you this but he does owe me two favors.”

“You're going to turn in one of those markers?” Jason smirked. “That’s a big deal sir.”

“As long as I still have one then I’ll always be alright. Have you found out anything else useful?”

“Rossi has given Scott a small percentage of East Harlem for his business dealings. It’s the area where Blacks are the majority. With Scott adding to his empire, even minimally, some are worried Finnegan might get upset.”

“I hate to be presumptive but my wife is half-Irish. Upset is usually an understatement.”

“You're not being presumptive here sir.” Jason shook his head. “Finnegan is a lit fuse.”

“You think he's about to blow?”

“There are whispers, yes. The problem is figuring out if he’ll strike out against Scott or Rossi. Scott would be easier but Rossi might be more satisfying.”

“He may believe he can make more leeway with the white customer base that is suddenly without a way to conduct business.” Kirk said.

“That’s my thought as well. Killing Rossi, even going after him, is a sure death wish. Finnegan didn’t get to the top of the dog pile by jumping the gun.”

“He may feel as if he has no choice at this point. He can't let Scott become more powerful than he is. Pride has brought down better men.”

“Yes sir.”

“I'm working on getting you out, Jason. Just hold on for a few more days. While you're there keep your nose to the ground.”

“Yes sir.” Jason moved to the door when someone knocked. He checked the peephole, opening the door for Nora. With a gentle smile, Jason put his finger on her lips.

Nora pressed her lips together and kissed his finger. Then she closed the door, moving into his arms. She didn’t seem to care that Jason was on the phone as she unbuttoned his shirt.

“I'm going to meet Barton in a half hour and compare notes.” Jason said, clearing his throat when Nora pushed the shirt off his shoulders. She moved onto the belt of his dress slacks.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Kirk said. “Call me if something pops. If not you'll hear from me in a few days.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir; have a good day.”

He did his best to hang up on his boss with some kind of dignity. Jason grabbed Nora by her shoulders and pulled her into a passionate kiss. His body immediately reacted to the way she moaned. They both pulled out of the kiss breathless. Jason’s lips made love to her neck.

“I'm in a lot of trouble.” she sighed.

“I’d say.” he mumbled, his hands moving down from her back to her hips to her ass.

“What does the FBI do to troublemakers, Agent Gideon?” she smiled and took his face in her hands.

She had the softest skin. When Nora touched him, or he touched her, it was like stroking silk. Jason wanted it all over him all the time.

“We have a few tactics.” He started moving her over to the bed. “My personal method is to start out gentle.” Jason ran his tongue over her throat. “Then when I have them where I want them,” he pulled her onto the bed and nipped where his tongue just touched. “I go in for the kill.”

“Speaking of going in for the kill,” Nora lifted his white tee shirt over her head. “Who is Barton and what are you comparing notes on?”

“Nora…” Jason sighed and kissed her lips. “I probably shouldn’t…I know I shouldn’t…”

“You don’t trust me.”

It was a statement, not a question. Something in Jason appreciated that. She wasn’t trying to guilt him; she was just putting something out there. It needed to be said. Nora rarely said things that didn’t.

“All I can say is if Scott planted you then he has me right where he wants me.”

“I know what you feel deep down.” she said. “I also know that staying in FBI mode has kept you alive for this long.”

“Thinking with the wrong head has given you far too many opportunities to kill me in the past seven weeks.”

“And yet here you are alive.” She ran her finger over his bottom lip.

“I like to think that I've been useful to you in some ways as well.”

“Oh abundantly so.” Nora smiled. “My mother would roll in her grave if I became a gangster moll. Still, it does sound much more exciting than a housewife.”

“That’s why you haven’t settled down yet?” Jason reached behind her to unzip her Givenchy dress. “You don’t want to be a housewife?”

“I don’t want to settle.” She slithered out of her dress. Her black negligee impressed him, Nora could tell by how his pupils dilated. Expensive lingerie was one of her indulgences.

“I would hope with me that wouldn’t feel like what you were doing.”

“Are you asking me to marry you, Jason Gideon?”

“I…I've been engaged before. I don't even know what I'm asking. All I know is that I want this bliss, with you, forever.”

“I'm sure a day will come when we don’t constantly indulge in each other like this.” She said.

“I think that’s impossible. Even if our carnal urges ebb over time, we’ll just talk until we fall exhausted against each other.”

“You’ve thought about this?”

“I've thought about you.”

“I don’t want to leave New York. I don’t want to run the club for the rest of my life either but I’d like to stay here.”

Jason knew it was possible to be transferred to New York. It would take time, hell right now he was just trying to get out of New York, but it was possible. It was definitely worth looking into if he could be with Nora. Smiling, he stroked her face.

“I'm hungry.” He said.

“What are you craving, Agent Gideon?”

“Actually, I could really go for a corned beef special.”

Nora laughed. She laughed and kissed his mouth. She took the dress that he was still holding in his hand.

“Are you really meeting this Barton fellow? I'm assuming he's a fellow, I could be wrong.”

“He's a fellow, and I have to be at the station in two hours.” Jason said.

“So we can have an early lunch and talk until we’re breathless?”

He nodded, kissing her once more before getting off of the bed. Jason wouldn’t lie to himself; the sex was hot and amazing. It had been a long time since anyone turned him on and he indulged. But there was more there with Nora. He wanted to be with her. 

He didn’t feel like he was rushing or he might be wrong. Jason Gideon was the most careful man he knew. And he knew it was worth whatever he had to do to be with Nora. If he made it out of this mess alive, he wanted to be by her side. It wasn’t settling; it was the start of another adventure.

***

“Go back inside.” Ian stopped walking in the doorway and Emily stopped with him.

“What?” she looked at him.

They were arm and arm about to walk out of Mickey’s Pub in Hell’s Kitchen. They’d just had a quiet dinner, some beers, and listened to good music on the jukebox. It was one of their more low-key dates and Emily had a nice time. Ian seemed to be in better spirits than he was last week. She wasn’t feeling as if their heads were under a guillotine. Now he didn’t want her walking out with him.

“Go back to the bar, Emily. Max will come in and get you when we pull the car around.”

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head.

“Really?” she couldn’t even hide the sarcasm in her voice.

“Will you just listen to me…please.” Ian sighed.

“Alright, alright, I'm going. Be careful.”

“I'm fine. Max’s going to come and get you in a few minutes.”

She went to walk away. He pulled her back into a kiss and smiled. Emily smiled too and then pretended to slap his face. She went back into the bar where people were still eating dinner and having a good time. 

The four gunshots came quickly; for the longest time Emily was sure she’d heard just two. There was a commotion inside the pub. People were screaming and ducking, not sure what was happening. Emily rushed outside. Someone, she didn’t even know who, tried to stop her but she pushed them off and burst out the door.

“Ian!”

Emily was sure she was going to faint. She’d never seen so much blood in her life. There was just as much commotion on the street as there was inside. She fell to her knees, putting Ian’s head in her lap as blood sputtered out of his mouth. Max pulled up in the Imperial, getting out of the car and rushing to them.

“Someone call the police!” she exclaimed. “Help us, call the police!”

“Emily.” Ian was choking but trying to talk.

“Don’t talk.” she caressed his face. She had to hold back the tears; Emily didn’t want him worried that she wasn’t alright.

“I love you.”

“Ian…”

“Just say it; I want to hear it once.”

“I do love you, and you're going to be alright. Don’t act like you're going to die on me. You’re going to be OK.”

“No.” he shook his head.

“Yes.” The tears fell down her cheeks as she nodded.

“I need last rites.” He was fading fast. “You have to…”

“I don’t know last rites.” She looked around. “Someone help us, please. Oh please God. Max, get a priest.”

He rushed into the pub and Emily just prayed Ian could hold on. She was holding him tight against her and Ian was gripping her elbow. As long as he gripped her, she knew he was still alive. The sirens wailed in the distance…they were getting closer and closer. A priest kneeled at her side and Emily just looked at him.

“Please help him; don’t let him burn in hell.”

She didn’t even know if she believed in all that stuff but knew that Ian did. He could do some horrible things but he still occasionally went to confession and to Mass as well. Emily didn't understand how he could; he couldn’t either really. It just was what it was. Once a sorta good Catholic boy, always a sorta good Catholic boy. He couldn’t leave this world without last rites. If she had to let him leave she could at least do that for him.

“Ian, the priest is here.”

“Father…” he couldn’t open his eyes and felt so cold. Ian held onto Emily. He needed her warmth. Her love couldn’t keep him alive but it might be able to give him just a little more time.

“Don’t talk son.” the priest’s voice was calm as if there wasn’t a war going on around him. He placed his hands on Ian’s chest, which was bleeding, and then on his head. He quickly grabbed a vial of oil from his pocket. 

Opening it, he put some on Ian’s forehead. “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

“Amen.” Emily whispered.

“Amen.” Ian whispered. “Emily…”

“I love you, Ian.”

He closed his eyes and his grip loosened on her elbow. She couldn’t believe it but Emily began to sob. The priest put his arm around her shoulder, doing his best to bring her comfort. Three police cars were on the scene and soon an ambulance was there too. They couldn’t do anything to help but they pulled Emily away from him.

“Max!” she screamed. “Max, you stay with him. Don’t you let them do anything to him.”

“You need to get in the car.” One of the cops said.

“Get your damn hands off me!” she shook away from him.

“I need to ask you questions. You're not going anywhere.”

“If you touch me again I’ll have your half-ass badge.”

“If you don’t get the damn car I'm putting you under arrest.” The cop got angry. “You either go willingly or unwillingly. Make a choice.”

“Fuck you.” Emily spit on the ground.

“That’s it.” he grabbed her a little too hard, spinning her around. She tried to fight but was subdued quickly. He put handcuffs on her and led her over to the car. 

Emily wanted to fight; she wanted to scream and holler. But all she could do was cry. She couldn’t believe that she was getting arrested. What did it even matter when Ian was lying on the sidewalk? 

He was dead and there was blood everywhere. Some of the other officers came and covered him with a white sheet. Blood quickly soaked through in some spots. They started moving people back, putting up the yellow police tape. 

Just as many people were trying to get out of there as were trying to gawk. Criminals hung out at Mickey’s and the last thing they wanted was to be swept up in a murder investigation. Where the hell was Ray Finnegan now? Ian was dead; where the hell was the man who raised him up?

000

“Emily?” Jason walked into the interrogation room where the young woman sat.

She was wearing a pretty pink sundress but it was covered in blood. She still had blood on her hands and face as well. No one had given her anything to clean up with. She just sat there, still in handcuffs, looking lost and full of misery.

“If you're not my lawyer, get the hell out. I want a phone call. I'm going to call my parents and they’ll get me out of here. I'm taking all of your jobs.”

“I'm not a police officer.” He said.

“Are you my lawyer?” she asked.

“I'm with the FBI.” He closed the door and walked over to her. “I'm going to uncuff you, and I apologize for your being left in here for hours alone.”

“I don’t care.” She shook her head. “Ian is dead.”

“I know.” Jason nodded. He took gentle hold of her wrists and got the hardware off. Emily shook off the soreness but refused to look at her hands. He couldn’t blame her.

“What the hell does the FBI want with me?”

“I want to take you home.”

“What do you want in exchange for that?”

“You're not under arrest Emily, I promise.”

“I don’t even care.” She shrugged.

“I can't imagine what you’ve been through tonight but I am here to help. You might not believe me and I understand that. But I am going to take you home. Before that I have to ask you some questions.” Jason sat down in the chair across from her.

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Believe me when I tell you it'll be better than the cops outside.”

“My parents are important people. I don’t have to talk to you at all.”

“Don’t you want to find out who killed Ian?” Jason asked.

She didn’t know what to say. Of course she wanted to know who killed Ian. Not that it mattered one bit because there was nothing she could do about it. Ray, Sean, Max…those guys would handle it. They didn’t want her help and she wasn’t going to offer it. Emily wanted to go home; get his blood off of her.

“Look, if you're going to ask questions then just ask them. I'm not under arrest and even though they try to make people think otherwise, I know I have the right to walk out of here. I'm not some dumb ass moll, Mr. FBI.”

“My name is Agent Gideon.”

“Just ask the questions.”

“What happened tonight?” he asked.

“I don't know.” She shrugged. “Ian and I had dinner and drinks at Mickey’s; it was no big thing. As we were leaving he told me to go back inside. We were just a few feet from the door but he wouldn’t let me go outside with him. I thought it was weird but I know Ian has been worried for a little while about his work.”

“And what is it that Ian does?”

Emily cut her eyes at him and Jason took another route.

“So you stayed in the bar?”

“He told me to and I did it to ease his mind. He told me to wait by the bar and that Max would come in for me when he pulled the car up.”

“Are you talking about Max Ryan, Ian’s driver?” Jason asked.

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Do you know Max Ryan well?”

“We’ve never sat, had cognac, and talked about Goethe if that's what you're asking. He’s Ian’s driver. He runs his errands and all that jazz. He carries a gun but they all do. I really don’t know anything about him.”

“Did he come in and tell you that Ian was shot?”

“He wasn’t even there. I heard the gunshots and rushed out because I just knew.” Her voice caught and Emily took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to cry anymore. At least she wasn’t going to cry in front of this total stranger. “I was already outside when Max pulled up in the car. He wasn’t there when Ian got shot. Well, I can't say that but I can say that he wasn’t there when I got outside.”

“Do you know who would want to do Ian harm?” Jason asked.

“Oh c'mon, he was a gangster and you know it. The FBI wouldn’t be here for the death of some harmless Joe. I don't know anything. Talk to Sean and Ray Finnegan; talk to Max Ryan. Leave me alone. I'm done asking questions and I want to go home.”

“I’ll take you now.” Jason stood up.

“That’s it?” Emily couldn’t believe it. Those bastards would've made her sit there all night without food or water if they thought it would get them some answers.

“That’s it for now. You need to go home and get some rest.”

“Yeah, I doubt I can sleep.” Emily stood and walked around the table. Jason held out his arm for her. They walked out of the interrogation room together. It seemed like everyone was looking at them but Emily ignored them. Jason walked her out of the police station and to his car. “You're not going to take me somewhere and kill me, are you?” 

“No.” he shook her head.

“You show me a badge right now or I'm getting in a cab. I'm actually going to scream my head off and then get in a cab.”

“Emily, how would I have been able to walk out of the station with you, in front of all of those officers, if I wasn’t law enforcement?”

“Show me your badge.” She was unmoved.

Jason sighed, pulling his FBI ID from his pocket. He handed it to her and watched her scrutinize it. She handed it back.

“Can I take you home now?”

“Yes.”

Jason opened his passenger side door and put her in the car. Then he went around to the driver’s seat.

“Where’s Ian now?” she asked as he started the ignition and pulled out onto the street.

“He's at the coroner’s office. They’re going to do an autopsy.”

“He would hate that. I don’t even know why they need it…someone shot him.”

“Do you know how many gunshots you heard?” Jason asked.

“I think it was two but it could’ve been more. It’s not like I know what gunshots really sound like. I'm from the Upper West Side, Agent Gideon; I only hear them in gangster movies. The cops didn’t call my parents, did they?”

“No, do you want me to?”

“Absolutely not.” She shook her head. “I can take care of myself.”

“Do you have a friend or someone you can trust that you want to call? I don’t know if you should be alone tonight.”

Emily was always alone. She felt even more so now that Ian was gone. He wasn’t off working and she wouldn’t see him for a few days. Ian was dead. He died right in her arms. He bled all over the stupid pink sundress that he bought for her. Hardly wanting to think about it, Emily wondered if he was in heaven or hell. She knew where she was tonight.

***

“You're going to Havana.” Luciano walked into the den on Wednesday night and looked at his son.

“I'm going where?” Dave put down the magazine he was reading.

“You're going to Havana. The plane leaves Saturday morning.”

“Pop, what are you talking about? What's in Havana?”

“Ian Doyle is dead. There will be war and I need to keep you, your sisters, and your mother safe.”

“I'm not going to Havana.” Dave shook his head.

“Now is not the time for your defiance.”

“I'm a grown man; I can take care of myself.”

“I'm not going to lose you in a street squabble, David.”

“I don’t plan on dying.”

“I didn’t come in here to debate with you. You're going to Havana. Its not forever, just until things calm down. No one is happy about this turn of events.”

“I'm not going.” He stood up but had no idea why. He’d never said no to his father before. Not when it was anything important anyway. Luciano didn’t ask much of him and he was a good son. But this wasn’t happening. He was a man now; a man stood up.

“You will do what I say. I can't protect you here…I won't lose you.”

“Pop, this is crazy.”

“You think I don’t know that. Tomorrow is Thursday and I can't even get you on a plane until Saturday. No one leaves this house until we’re going to Idlewild.”

“Pop…”

“David!” Luciano exclaimed. “This is not up for debate! This is your life.”

“My life is…” Dave sighed. “I can't leave her.”

“She’ll be here when you get back, whoever she is. If you're dead then you'll never have her.”

“What happened to Ian Doyle?” 

“That’s not your concern.” Luciano shook his head.

“I'm 20 years old. If you're going to send me away from the only place I've ever lived then you're going to tell me what happened.”

Luciano looked at his son. He wasn’t a little boy anymore but he could still see Davey when he looked at his face. He’d always hated that nickname but that’s what his mother called him until he was almost 12 years old and insisted that she stop. Dave was his only son; the person who was going to carry on his name and legacy. Luciano was sure that he would stop breathing if anything happened to him, Camilla, or Natalia. He might not survive this but his wife and children would.

“Someone shot the Mick outside of a bar tonight. That’s all you need to know.”

“Was Emily with him? Is she alright?”

“She’s fine. They’re saying the FBI questioned her.”

“Did she tell them about your business?” Dave asked. He knew Emily wasn’t a traitor. It wasn’t as if she knew a damn thing about the business, even Dave himself was mostly in the dark. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t say things to get the police off her back. Of course no one had come to the house yet to question his father.

“She doesn’t know about my business.” Luciano replied. “I'm sure she didn’t tell them anything. She was released and probably packing her bags to get out of here. The rocks are rolling down the hill, David, its time.”

“Am I allowed to ask if you had anything to do with this?”

“You can ask anything and the answer is no. Peace is more profitable; it always has been and it always will be.”

“Please don’t send me away.”

“I'm doing it to keep you alive. I love you.”

“I can't leave without saying goodbye to the people I care about. I love people too, Pop.”

“I can't let you go out there. You could be killed. Surely Finnegan is out for blood. I'm sorry.”

“So am I Pop.”

Dave went to leave the den. His father tried to hug him but he wasn’t having any of that. He needed to reach Erin. He needed to see her once more before he was gone. He hadn't seen her since they left the motel room together. That was over a week ago. 

It was hard to breathe without hearing her voice or feeling her skin. There was no way he was going all the way to Cuba not knowing what was happening between them. He deserved the chance to say goodbye for what might be the last time. Dave just had to figure out a plan. Luckily that had always been one of his specialties. He couldn’t do it alone; he would need all the help he could get.

***

She was nervous but there was no reason to be really. She didn’t mind doing this favor for Aaron, who was doing it for Dave. So she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. A beautiful blonde opened the door and smiled.

“Good afternoon, may I help you?

“Yes ma'am.” Beth smiled too. It was the same one she used on Elizabeth Prentiss when she was getting Emily out of the house. “Is Erin in please?”

Joanna really looked at the teenager. Unless the bad guys were sending sweet faced young girls to do their bidding now, she was pretty sure they were safe. In a lavender poodle skirt, white shirt, and her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, she looked to be Erin’s age.

“Come in please.”

“I'm Beth. Erin doesn’t know me well but Rachel Harding sent me because I live close by. She left her sketch pad and colored pencils at the Botany Club office. I just came to return them.”

“That was very nice of you. I’ll get Erin.”

“Thank you ma'am.”

While Joanna was out of the room, Beth took the black pencil and scribbled on the hard back of the sketch pad. She was smiling when Erin walked down the hall alone. At least this wouldn’t have to be awkward.

“Hello.” The young blonde had a smile just like her mother.

“I came to drop off your art supplies.” Beth said.

Erin knew she hadn't left a thing at the Botany Club office but she recognized Beth immediately. She also looked down and saw the message. It said ‘please call Dave tonight after 10pm. Its very important and he sends his love’.

“I really appreciate this.” She took the pads and pencils.

“I thought it was important for you to have them. Do you want me to give Rachel a message.”

“Just tell her thank you and she’ll hear from me soon.”

“Will do.” Beth smiled. “Have a nice day.”

“You too.”

She left the house and walked to the end of the block. Hotch was waiting for her there. Most guys hanging on a corner looking around would be suspicious. Aaron Hotchner had good kid written all over him. He couldn’t stop looking that way if he tried.

“I gave it to her.” Beth said.

“Thank you so much. I didn't want to involve you but…”

“It's OK Aaron. I know her mother wouldn’t have been thrilled if some strange boy came to the door asking for her.” she took Hotch’s hand when he held it out for her. “Does Dave really have to move to Cuba?”

“He's not moving there. He’s just going to visit for a little while.”

“But why; what's in Havana?”

“We probably shouldn’t talk about it.” Hotch replied.

“Oh, OK. We’re not going to not talk about you going to Havana too, are we? Or should I say are we not?”

“Wow, I don’t even know what you just said. I'm staying right here though Beth.” Hotch looked at her as they walked. He didn’t like the look on her face. Beth was worried and he could understand that. Hotch was worried too. 

He didn’t know all that was happening but he feared for Dave’s life. What would he do if his best friend suddenly wasn’t there anymore? Cuba was one thing, and it was bad enough. Dead was something you didn’t come back from. Hotch knew that from experience. “I'm just going to walk you home, OK?”

“Actually, I need to go and check on Emily. Can you walk me there?”

“Yeah, of course.” He nodded. “How is she doing?”

“She's numb. I can't imagine what she went through was anything short of horrific.” She squeezed his hand. “I'm just going to check on her and see if she needs anything or just some company. There's no one else right now.”

“Her parents don’t know what happened?”

“They have no idea that she's involved with Ian. Anyway, they travel all over the world while Congress is on recess. She hasn’t heard from them in two weeks.”

“I never know whether to envy or pity the thing with Emily’s parents.” Hotch said.

“Its definitely not enviable.” Beth shook her head. “I don’t think anyone is in an enviable position at the moment.”

“I have to disagree with you there.”

“Do you?” she glanced at him.

“Despite all of this, I'm seeing this really awesome girl.” Hotch slowly started to smile. His dimples immediately poked holes in his cheeks. “It’s an enviable offense.”

“Aaron Hotchner, I don’t know what I'm going to do with you.”

“You can kiss me but I'm sure you'll want to do that in a more private setting.”

“You're right about that.” Beth nodded.

“Which part?” he asked.

“You're right about pretty much all of it.”

***

She was going to pretend she just wanted a glass of water if someone came out to check. Erin walked through the entire house but it was quiet. It was also dimly lit so she had to be careful not to trip and fall over anything. There was no guarantee that her parents were asleep. They could’ve been talking behind their closed door.

It was a risk that Erin would have to take. She did peek in on her twin brothers. Eight year old Benjamin and Alexander were sound asleep in their bunk beds. No doubt they were exhausted by an entire day of heavy imaginative play. Smiling, Erin went back to her bedroom. 

It was raining tonight but she opened the window anyway. Going over to the nightstand drawer, Erin grabbed a pack of Marlboros. She lit one before picking up the phone and dialing. It was hard to breathe. She hadn't spoken to him since getting into Sam’s Pontiac in The Bronx. That surely wasn’t because she didn’t want to. Things had gotten very complicated but Erin didn’t think there was any other way unless they didn’t do this.

“Hello.”

“I'm sorry.” She said as soon as she heard his voice.

“You don’t have to apologize. You told me that you couldn’t make promises.”

“But you have to know how much I wanted to talk to you David.”

“I hoped that to be the case.” He said.

“I think this is more than either of us anticipated. I'm just trying to think; I'm trying to breathe.”

“You'll have more room to that soon.”

“What are you talking about?” Erin asked.

“My father is going to send us to Havana for a little while. I heard it in his voice…its indefinite.”

“That’s 1300 miles away. Why? Is this about us?”

“No. He thinks there's war coming. Ian Doyle was murdered the other night. Revenge is a big part of the business he's in.”

“You are not your father’s son, David.” Erin said.

“He's afraid for my life. This is all he knows to do. It’s just like your father sending you away after what happened in the park.”

“David…”

“I won't leave without seeing you again.” he said. “I can't go a million miles away without holding you or kissing you goodbye.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“Just tell me that you'll meet me.”

“Where and when?” Erin asked.

“It’s going to be tough because my father is watching us like a hawk. He goes to bed at ten and then I can run. We’re leaving late Saturday morning so meet me at the Pepper Lounge on Friday night around 10:30.”

“That’s really late.”

“Will it be impossible, baby?”

“No.” Erin replied, bolstered completely by the term of endearment from his lips. It surely wouldn’t be easy though. “I’ll tell my parents that I'm going to stay with Rachel for the night. But if there's trouble in the streets then my father might say no.”

“I won't go if I can't see you.” Dave said. “I don’t even…if we just run away together then we won't have to be separated.”

“You and I both know that’s impossible.”

“Why?” 

“Our lives are here David.”

“Mine is about to be ripped out of my hands.”

“It can't possibly be this way forever.” Erin said.

“What if it is? Who knows how long something like this can last? I could be in Cuba forever.”

“Then I’ll find you.”

“I…”

“Don’t, don’t talk anymore. This isn’t going to be easy and if we do it then we do it all the way. And I’d surely rather be in Havana with you than in New York without you. That’s all that needs to be said.”

“That’s not all that needs to be said Erin.”

“We’ll talk more on Friday night. I should probably go…its getting late.”

“I love you.”

“You better.” she didn’t know what else to say. It was the first thing that came from her mouth. She had never been so cheeky in her life. It came naturally when she was with him. Erin was sure it was a good thing.

“I have no choice in the matter. I’ll see you on Friday.”

“Goodnight David.”

Erin hung up and sat on the side of the bed with the phone in her lap. This was too much; it was absolutely too much. She was going to do it anyway. It was too late to go back and Erin didn’t want to. While it was difficult to articulate everything she was thinking and feeling there was one thing she knew for sure. 

She loved David and he felt the same way. Whatever came after would just have to come. They could get through it together. And Erin was sure there would be plenty of it. The death of Ian Doyle wasn’t the only war coming.

***

Jason buzzed the door, stood and waited. The FBI badge got him past the doorman for the second day in a row. He counted himself lucky. Yesterday when he stopped by there he didn’t get an answer. He buzzed three times and waited almost 15 minutes.

Emily never came to the door. Jason was sure that she was there…where else would she be. She had access to every place in the world but seemed most comfortable on the Upper West Side. He buzzed again and looked at his watch.

A young black man opened the door. Jason could tell from the look on his face that he wanted to look the agent up and down. He managed to stop himself. Jason almost wanted to tell him that it was alright. He knew from some experience how much contempt the teen could hold back on the daily basis.

“May I help you?” he asked.

“I'm Jason Gideon with the FBI.” He pulled his badge from his pocket. “I'm here to see Emily Prentiss.”

“Sure, come on in.”

“What's your name?” Jason thought he recognized him from the files of Luciano Rossi but he wanted to see what the kid would tell him.

“I'm Derek Morgan; I'm looking after Emily for a little while.”

“So she’s here?”

“Yeah.” Derek nodded, walking through the living room. When he went up the stairs Jason came and sat down on the couch.

He wasn’t waiting for long. Emily came down the stairs with Derek in tow. She wore Japanese-inspired pajamas and cradled a black cat. It was like a scene out of a detective film. Jason stood as she approached I'm.

“Can I get you a drink, Agent Gideon?” she asked.

“No I'm fine.”

“What are you doing here?” she sat down on the couch. The cat lounged in her lap as Jason sat again too.

“I wanted to see how you were doing. I came by yesterday but got no answer. I was actually worried about you.”

“How did you get past my doorman?”

“My badge is an international calling card.” He replied.

“I don't want to answer anymore questions.” Emily said. She grabbed a box of cigarettes from the coffee table and lit one. “I don’t know anything.”

“I know that, and the Bureau doesn't intend to bother you. I can't make those same promises about the NYPD.”

“Ian hasn’t even been dead a week but there are rumors everywhere. They're saying Ray had him killed.”

“Who is they?” Jason asked. He’d heard the same thing but was doubtful they could bring Finnegan to justice. It was too bad. If this case was investigated like a regular murder it would probably be solved. They needed to get him off the street. If he could kill his own “son”, Ray Finnegan was capable of anything.

“They are just they, Agent Gideon.” She shrugged. “You hadn't heard?”

“I heard a few things. I'm not officially on the investigation. But I want to know how you are, Emily?”

“I'm fine.”

“I'm not quite sure that’s true.”

“I will be. It’s probably just a dream to hope that someone will pay for Ian’s death, isn’t it? I'm not talking about some punk the cops pick up and point the finger at. If Ray did it then he should pay. I guess its good I'm not the monster he is or I’d just do it myself.”

“You'd kill a man based on rumor and innuendo?” Jason asked.

“If the man was Ray Finnegan…” Emily didn’t finish the sentence. She took a deep inhale of the cigarette. “I know what I heard is true. It’s my fault that Ian is dead.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Ray thought Ian was going soft and it was because of me. He was in love with me; Ray didn’t like it. If Ian’s loyalty was to me then where did he come in? He could’ve killed me but that would’ve destroyed Ian. So he sacrificed him instead…like George did to Lenny in _Of Mice and Men_.”

“George killed Lenny to save him.” Jason said. “He did it out of love. Ray Finnegan doesn’t love anyone.”

“It was jealousy I think. He could’ve taken any of those thugs under his wing and made them into his machine. He couldn’t bear the thought of Ian having a real life; something outside of the gang. I guess he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“I am so sorry.”

“Beth says I'm going to survive and she's right.” Emily put out the cigarette. “Eventually I’ll leave this apartment and live again. Eventually it won't feel like I got shot through the heart. Eventually the hate won't feel so overwhelming that I fear choking on it. That’s not going to happen today but eventually. I’ll get by.”

“If you ever want someone to talk to,” Jason took a small pad from his pocket and wrote down his DC phone number.

“I don't even know you.” she folded the paper.

“Sometimes I find talking to a total stranger is better. I’ll leave it up to you of course but I am here. I know loss…I know what you're going through.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” Jason stood up.

“How much longer will you be in Manhattan, Agent Gideon?”

“I'm leaving in the morning, and you can call me Jason. I do have connections here though. This doesn't have to be the last you see of me.”

Emily nodded but didn’t respond. She just sat on the couch petting her cat. Derek let Jason out and he walked to the elevator. He didn’t know if Emily would be alright. She seemed like a strong girl but the truth was that she was just a girl. 

She’d witnessed something horrific and it happened to someone she loved. Suspecting Ray Finnegan did it and why, how could she not blame herself? He hoped she reached out for help though nearly every aspect of her personality said she wouldn’t. There was no law saying Jason couldn’t reach out to her.

“I didn't keep you waiting too long did I?” he got into the driver’s seat and looked at Nora.

“I was enjoying the view. I've always loved the Upper West Side.”

“If it was smart it would love you back.”

“I think its quite brilliant, Agent Gideon.” She smiled.

“Can I take you to lunch?” he pulled the car into traffic.

“Yes. I want to run an idea by you while we’re out. I've had an offer to buy the club and I think I'm going to take it.”

“You're going to sell the family business?”

“I'm thinking about it.” Nora nodded. “Things are changing and I'm not afraid to change with them. I'm 32 years old; maybe I've been playing it too safe for too long. What is life if you don’t take a few big risks? I'm ready.”

“And I'm ready to listen to you tell me all about it. After that I'm going to run a few ideas by you as well.”

***

“Dammit!” Dave paced around the waiting room. Hospital staff wouldn’t let him go any further than that. “Dammit, dammit!” he ran his fingers thought his hair; sure her blood was there now too. “Goddammit.”

Hotch put his hand on his best friend’s shoulder. There was nothing he could say; no words of comfort he could bring. This was the worst thing he’d ever seen. It was the last thing any of them expected to happen tonight.

“Dave! Hotch!” Derek came running down the pristine halls of The New York Hospital. His suit was a rumpled mess. “I would've been here sooner but I had to make sure Penelope and JJ were OK. It’s still mass hysteria at the club. I had to have Garcia get flirty with some cop to make a getaway. What's happening?”

“He is fuckin dead!” Dave shouted when he saw him. “Derek, you make sure that the streets know that Sean Finnegan is fuckin dead. He is dead!”

“Dave,” Hotch tried to calm him down. “They're going to throw us out. You have to calm down.”

“I will kill him. I’ll watch the light go out of his eyes myself.”

“Don’t talk like that.” Derek said. “You're not a monster, man. If you do something like that then you're no better than Sean Finnegan.”

“The girl I love is back there dammit!” Dave pointed to the swinging doors that he couldn’t go beyond. “If she dies, then he dies. I can't let this stand. This is war Derek.”

“Yeah.”

The teenager nodded even though it made his stomach turn. Sometimes, many times, men had to do things in war that seemed reprehensible in everyday life. If a war was really what this was then Erin Strauss might be the first innocent victim of it.

They were partying and having a good time at the Pepper Lounge. It was the usual Friday night thing. The music was good, the drinks flowing, and Derek Morgan was chatting up plenty of women. He was in the balcony so he didn’t see the shooting. He heard two gunshots and all the commotion that followed. 

Rushing downstairs faster than he’d ever run in his life, Derek knew he had to make sure that Dave and Hotch were alright. Dave was in the middle of the dance floor holding Erin. She was bleeding from her shoulder and her side. The scene immediately reminded him of sitting over his father as he died. It took every ounce of his strength not to run. He sprang into action instead.

“ _I’ll get the police.” He said._

_“Get an ambulance too Morgan.” He said._

_“Yeah.” he nodded._

_“Erin, oh God.” Dave cradled her as she faded in and out of consciousness._

_“I'm OK.”_

_“You're going to be OK baby, I promise. I swear it.”_

_“Just don’t leave me. Stay and keep me warm.”_

_“I’m staying with you forever_.”

Morgan rushed through the crowd and out into the humid night air. It wasn’t hard to flag down a cop car. He just had no idea if an ambulance would make it there before Erin died. This wasn’t supposed to be the life of a girl from the Upper West Side of Manhattan. So why was it the second time it was happening in two weeks. The whole world was going to hell.

“You son of a bitch!” Erich Strauss rushed into the waiting room with his wife behind him. Coming at Dave like an angry bull, he socked him in the jaw. “You Dago son of a bitch! What the hell happened to my daughter?”

“Erich, stop!” Joanna demanded. “This isn’t helping anything.”

“I will kill you!” he wrapped his hands around Dave’s neck.

“Hey, get off him!”

Hotch wrestled Erich away. The older man was breathing hard and practically frothing at the mouth. Hotch had no idea how he kept Strauss from killing all three of them.

“I will kill you! If she dies I will end your pitiful fuckin life! I swear to you!”

“I don’t give a damn.” Dave retorted, rubbing his neck. “If she dies I don’t even want to live.”

“And you won't.” Erich pointed at him. “I promise you that. Get the hell off me.” he shook Hotch away.

“Dave, we just need to get far away from him.” Derek whispered. “He could have a gun on him right now or have some Aryan supermen outside ready to do it for him.”

“I don’t care.” Dave shrugged. “I just don’t care.”

“You care about your life Dave.” Hotch said.

“I care about hers more. Just stop.” He held up his hand. “Erich Strauss and his threats mean nothing to me. I promise you that.”

Dave walked to the other side of the waiting room and his friends let him. They kept a close eye on him but gave him some room to breathe. He was running on pure adrenaline; soon enough it was going to run out. Hotch and Morgan would be there when it did.

“I'm going to get some coffee or something.” Hotch said. “Keep an eye on him.”

“Yeah, I will.” Derek nodded. “Has anyone told Luciano what happened?”

“I didn’t, but I'm sure it’s only a matter of time before he knows. Dave is supposed to leave for Havana in the morning with his mom and sisters.”

Hotch walked out of the room. Derek sat down on the arm of the chair and just watched Dave. He looked like a wounded animal. It didn’t mean he wasn’t still capable of striking and killing but he was injured just the same. Those gunshots were meant for him. 

Sean Finnegan came to the Pepper Lounge to end his life. It was most likely payback for Ian’s murder. Dave had nothing to do with it but Sean probably thought Luciano did. That was the way it worked with some gangs. If you kill a man then his pain is over. If you kill someone he loves, his pain endures. 

Word on the street was that Ray Finnegan himself had something to do with the fall of his #1 soldier. Maybe that news hadn't made it to his #2 yet. Or maybe Sean didn’t give a damn…someone was gonna pay. A hit on your enemy and relieving some of your pain was killing two birds with one stone.

“David?”

He turned quickly when he heard the voice. It sounded just like Erin’s except a bit softer and with a British accent. It was impossible not to see the girl he loved in her mother’s face. And that’s when the adrenaline stopped. It didn’t slow to a trickle, it just dried up altogether.

“I'm so sorry Mrs. Strauss. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I'm so sorry.”

Dave cried and Joanna Strauss held him. She didn’t quite know what was happening but his pain was clear. She knew something was going on with her daughter for at least the past month. It was strange for Erin not to share with her but she could be so much like her father sometimes. She would talk when she was ready…when she could make real sense of what was in her mind. 

Only her little girl would be so rational as to think that she could make sense of love. If she could then Joanna wouldn’t be holding the sobbing son of her husband’s rival. It was a bit Shakespearean on the outside but she thought they might have more commonalities than even she knew. If David Rossi could get her daughter to sneak out of the house late at night to meet at a club then it had to be something important to Erin.

“What happened to her?” she asked as he got himself together.

Hotch walked back into the waiting room. The scene gave him pause. Looking around he didn’t see Erich Strauss anywhere. That probably meant someone was about to die. He wore expensive suits and walked around using big words but when push came to shove he was no more than a thug too. He was an overpriced thug but still just a thug. As long as he wasn’t painting a target on Dave’s back, Hotch planned to leave it be.

“Sean Finnegan shot her but those bullets were meant for me.” Dave said.

“He doesn’t strike me as the type to be a bad shot.” Joanna made it her business not to get involved in her husband’s. The less she knew the better, for herself and in case the FBI started asking questions. Erich left them all well shielded. But she was an intelligent and perceptive woman. She knew all the players and how well they played the game.

“Erin jumped in front of me. I didn't even have time to stop her. I have no idea what the hell she was thinking. It happened so fast; it couldn’t have taken longer than a minute. 

“Sean walked up and called my name. He said ‘hey Rossi’. Erin and I were dancing so she was in my arms. I turned, but when the gun came out Erin turned us around. 

“I think it happened too fast for him too. He shot two times and rushed toward one of the side exits. Everyone was screaming and running for safety. I never wanted anything like this to happen to her.”

“Why was she even there?”

“She came to say goodbye to me. My father was worried about war since Doyle’s death. He was sending us away to be safe. I didn’t want to leave but I decided to obey because I know how worried he was about me. I couldn’t leave without seeing Erin one more time and saying goodbye.”

Joanna wanted to know everything. How did they meet and how long had they been together? Erin had just come back to Manhattan in May. Were they in love? Were they in a sexual relationship, which seemed improbable but not impossible? 

How could all of this be happening right in front of her and she not know? She wanted answers to all of her questions. More than that Joanna just wanted to know if she would ever see her daughter alive again. Until she found that out nothing else mattered. 

When they got to the hospital, a nurse told them that Erin was in surgery. She said it might take some time. Joanna needed an update on her daughter’s condition. She couldn’t breathe without some kind of information. Turning and walking away from Dave without another word, she left the waiting room.

“I bought you some coffee.” Hotch approached Dave seeing that he’d calmed some.

“What is taking so long hearing about Erin?” he asked. Pulling a silver cigarette case from his pocket, Dave lit a Lucky Strike. Then he took the cup from his best friend.

“I think no news is good news right now. If it would've been over quickly…” Hotch sighed. “No news is good news, OK?”

“She's not dead.” Dave shook her head. “I would know if her heart stopped beating.”

“How?”

“I'm honestly afraid that mine would too Aaron.”

“You're in love with her aren’t you?” he asked looking at his best friend. Hotch really looked at him.

“Where have you been all summer Aaron, Timbuktu?”

“No but…I guess I just didn’t realize the extent of what you were feeling.”

“If she makes it then I'm done playing games.” Dave said. “There will be no more hiding and no more secrets. To hell with her father; we’re going to live our lives the way we want to. If Erin will have me then I'm hers.”

“It really seems as if you already are.”

“Rossi, it’s getting really late.” Derek said. “You think we should call your dad? I'm sure all of our parents are worried by now.”

“My father is in Rio with one of his girlfriends.” Hotch said. “I'm sure he's not worried about me.”

“I'm honestly surprised my dad isn’t here already.” Dave replied. “I just need some time to get myself together. No doubt he’s gonna be pissed off. I can't deal with this and that.”

“Not to mention that Erich Strauss is surely planning to kill you.” Derek said. “If your dad showed up now it might be a free for all.”

“And that’s the last thing we need.”

“What you really need is a shower or something.” Hotch said. “There's blood all over you and…”

“I'm not going anywhere.” Dave shook his head and lit another cigarette. “I'm not going anywhere until I find out about Erin. Forget about it.”

“I’d like to speak to my son please.” Luciano Rossi walked into the 4th floor waiting room of The New York Hospital.

Derek and Hotch nodded and they both went to leave.

“Your mother knows you're alright, Derek.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Please see if you guys can find out anything about Erin.” Dave said.

“We will.” Hotch said.

“Sit down.” his father told him when they were alone.

“I can't. I have no idea what's going to happen if I stop moving.”

“Do you know what happened at the club you weren't even supposed to be at tonight?” Luciano asked.

“Sean Finnegan was gunning for me and shot Erin Strauss instead.”

“And you're in love with her?”

“Yes sir.” His son nodded. “I'm going to ask for her hand.”

“It might be a death wish.”

“I faced it tonight; I’ll face it again if need be.”

“I’d appreciate if you sat down and talked to me David. I know it’s been a while but we need to.”

Dave sighed. He put out his cigarette and walked over to the couch with his father. They sat down together but didn’t speak for a while. When he put his hand on Dave’s shoulder it took everything both men had to hold back the emotions. This had been the longest night of Dave’s life and the light was still far in the distance. For Luciano, he thought for a few moments that his only son was dead. Even sitting right in front of him it was going to take some time to forget what that felt like.

***

“Is she going to be alright?” Emily asked. Erin Strauss had been shot…she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The thing with Dave, she knew it could be troublesome but never expected to hear something like that.

“I talked to Aaron this morning. He said the nurses told them that Erin is expected to recover. It’s going to take some time because she lost a lot of blood and such. It’s scary to even think about it.”

“It really is.” Emily shuddered. It was all so fresh in her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ian lying on the sidewalk drowning in his own blood. When she heard sirens she would freak out. It was so real that sometimes Emily thought she could reach out and touch it. “Dave must be beside himself.”

“He's refusing to leave the hospital right now.” Beth said. “He wants to see for himself that Erin is OK but her father won't let him. So Aaron said he's just sitting in the waiting room. They went home to get him some clothes and food. He doesn’t know when he’ll give up and leave.”

“I doubt he ever will. He's not the giving up type.”

“Also, and I wanted to tell you this so you wouldn’t hear it from the grapevine. Sean Finnegan did it. He wasn’t hiding his face or anything. They're saying he tried to kill Dave as revenge for killing Ian but he shot Erin instead.”

“I really wish you wouldn’t have said that.” Emily felt nauseous. This was going to get worse before it got better. Other people would probably fall before it was all said and done. She didn’t want anything more to do with it. “Do you want this?”

“Seriously?” Beth took the red dress. “Oh my God, Em, this is fabulous.” She stood and rushed over to the full length mirror. “Why would you give this away?”

“I can't take everything with me. Why not give it to someone who would make great use of it?”

“I doubt I’ll have anyplace to wear something fancy like this.”

“What? If Aaron Hotchner doesn’t take you someplace fancy I'm going to belt him. Take the dress…I know it’ll look amazing on you.”

“OK.” Beth nodded. “Wow, thank you so much. Are you sure you won't need it?”

“No, I won’t need it.” Emily said. “I'm packing light.”

“How long will your vacation to Paris be?”

“I plan to be there indefinitely.”

“What? You can't be gone that long.”

“Beth…”

“Do your parents even know you're leaving?” she asked.

“No, but I did try to reach them. They’re all over the world and I'm here. I have to leave before the walls close in on me.”

“How will you survive over there? What if your parents cut you off?”

“I opened the box.” Emily replied.

“Huh?”

“Ian left a box in my nightstand just in case something happened to him.”

“What did you find in there?”

“There was a letter and a key to a safety deposit box at Carlisle Savings and Loan. I went to the box two days ago. There was a cashier’s check in my name for a lot of money. Then there was about $5000 in cash. 

“When I opened a velvet satchel there was jewelry and another note. Ian said I could keep it all or fence it. He actually gave me the name and location of the only two fences worth using and how much they should give me. He said I could get another $20 grand for it.”

“Did you actually go to a fence?” Beth asked.

“I didn’t want that jewelry. I almost kept the black pearls but I didn’t know where they came from so I thought I better not. Saul on Jeweler’s Row gave me $15,000. So I don’t need my parents taking care of me at the moment…Ian left me plenty.”

“They should still know where you are.”

“I’ll write to them when I get there. There probably is a lot I need to talk to them about.”

“Do you promise me Emily?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” Emily crossed her heart. “Stick a needle in my eye. There are so many clothes here; this is truly insane. Just take whatever you want and I’ll make due with the rest.” She smiled at the look on Beth’s face. “I'm serious. I don’t need any of these things. Have a blast.”

Her front door buzzed and Emily left Beth in her bedroom. She was like a kid on Christmas morning…torn between decorum and a free for all. Downstairs, Emily was shocked to see Aaron Hotchner standing in her hallway.

“Hey.” She said.

“Hi. I'm supposed to pick up Beth. I didn’t mean to get here so early but Dave kicked me out of the hospital.”

“Yes, because God forbid you came to see if I was alright.”

“Emily…”

“Don’t even bother. It is what it is Hotch. So many things have happened; I have no intention of getting my knickers in a twist about that. You don’t owe me a damn thing. Beth’s upstairs, I’ll go and get her.”

“Are you alright?” he asked when she’d walked across the living room and to the bottom of the stairs. “I wanted to ask…you know I care. I just don’t always know how to say things. And then this thing with Erin…”

“I'm going to be fine.”

She went upstairs and smiled at Beth playing in her clothes.

“Hotch is downstairs.”

“He's early.” Beth looked at her watch.

“Yeah, he said Dave kicked him out of the hospital or something. Don’t keep him waiting.”

“Are you OK? I was planning to stay until dinnertime.”

“I'm OK.” Emily put on a smile. “While you're gone I’ll bag up all of this stuff. You can come and pick it up tomorrow. After that we’ll go out and have some lunch.”

“And then you're going to go to Paris and I’ll never see you again.” Beth got up from the bed taking both of Emily’s hands.

“Of course you're going to see me again. I’ll write to you every week and send pictures of the Eiffel Tower and Sergio wearing a beret. You'll visit me next summer; we’ll go to The Louvre so you can see the Mona Lisa. I’ll come back and where any dress you want after you graduate from college and marry Aaron Hotchner. As long as it’s not orange or yellow…you know citrus colors don’t do well on my skin.” That made Beth smile. “You're never going to be rid of me…we’re best friends.”

Beth hugged her tight. They were best friends and it wasn’t easy to let go. Since middle school the two girls had been close; extremely so since sophomore year of high school. She couldn’t just walk outside and find another friend like Emily Prentiss. There would be new people in Beth’s life with college and new adventures coming. She looked forward to all of it. But staying friends with Emily was important to her.

“I love you Emily.”

“Love you too.” she kissed her cheek. “Now go; you shouldn’t keep a man waiting too long unless a more important man is helping you dress.”

“Like Hubert de Givenchy or Christian Dior.” Beth said.

“Exactly.” Emily smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

“Bye. Call me later on if you need anything.” 

Beth waved and left the room. Emily sat down, a sad smile on her face when Sergio pounced on her lap. He was having fun rolling around in all the expensive material. Emily petted him, listening as Hotch and Beth left the condo. As soon as the door closed, she picked up the phone. There was a piece of paper on the nightstand and she dialed the number on it. Emily listened to it ring and took a deep breath when it stopped.

“Good afternoon, this is Agent Jason Gideon.”

“Agent Gideon, this is Emily Prentiss from Manhattan.”

“Hello Emily. How are you?”

“I actually have no idea. Is it normal to feel nothing? I don’t just mean when I think about Ian, or try not to think about Ian, I mean in every aspect of life.”

“There's nothing normal about losing someone they way that you lost Ian.” Jason replied. “You will go through stages, levels, moments, and everything in between. There's no time line on anything…you can always slip back when you think you’re pushing ahead.”

“Well that’s a depressing thought.” She sighed.

“Depression is a feeling. I think it’s better than numb.”

“I'm thinking its not. If I go to Paris do you think I'm running away or just trying to move on? Can you answer honestly?”

“What do you think you're doing?” Jason asked.

“I think I don’t want to be answered with questions.”

“A change of scenery has never been harmful. But you can't run away from your problems; that much I do know. They have a way of reaching out and grabbing you at the most inopportune times”

“This might be a very long conversation.” Emily mumbled as she lay back on her pillows. Sergio cuddled in her lap.

“I'm here Emily, and I'm listening for as long as you want to talk.”

***

“David? David?”

“Erin, its Mummy.” Joanna squeezed her hand. “Sweetie, just open your eyes for me.”

“David...”

“Erin, its Mum.”

“Mum?” her blue eyes opened slowly and she was looking into the same eyes. “Where’s David? Where are we?”

“You were shot sweetheart.”

“Oh God,” Erin tried to sit up in bed, even though she was drowsy and in pain. It was a bad idea. She groaned and slid back down. “Is he dead, Mum? Is David dead?”

“No.” Joanna shook her head.

“That man was going to shoot him. He just came out of nowhere…”

“What the hell were you even doing at that club?” Erich blasted out of nowhere. “You put yourself in danger for that Goombah. “What were you thinking?”

“Erich!” his wife exclaimed. “Stop it!”

“She could’ve been killed!”

“She's alive and doesn’t need you screaming in her face. I want you to stop it right now; you aren’t helping anything.”

“Mum, where’s David?” Erin ignored him for the moment. “I need to see him.”

“You're never seeing him again.” her father said.

“Erich, enough!” Joanna’s fire came through. “Get out right now. Take a breath, take a walk, I don’t care what you do but get out.”

He thought about arguing but he saw it in his wife’s eyes. Joanna being a firebrand was part of the reason he fell in love with her. Erich never wanted her to become one of those women who just deferred to him and bowed her head. At the same time, a man was head of the family. It wasn’t often that they weren't on the same page. This was one of those times and Joanna wasn’t backing down. She often didn’t when it came to her children.

“I love him Daddy.” Erin said as her father walked out of the hospital room. “I don’t care if you ever understand but it’s true. Mum…I love him.”

“It’s alright Erin.” Joanna shook off her anger and looked back at her daughter. “Nothing matters right now except getting better. You’re alive and that’s what we need to focus on.”

“Promise me that David is alright.” Erin whispered, squeezing her mother’s hand. “Everything happened so fast; I thought he was going to die.”

“He’s fine; I've seen him and talked to him.”

“I want to see him too.”

“You need your rest first.”

“Don’t keep him away from me. You can't keep him away from me.”

“I think you know me better than that, Erin. I can tell you that he wouldn’t be happy if he knew you were in here arguing with your mother and not resting.”

That’s not fair.” Erin managed a smile.

“You sleep sweetie and I promise that David will visit you. He hasn’t left the hospital in two days.”

“He was being sent to Havana.”

“Unless Havana is in the waiting room I don’t think that happened.”

Erin started fading again. Her eyelids were heavy and she could hardly keep her eyes open. Still, she had a smile on her face thinking about Dave waiting for her. He was going to be alright. And even though Erin wasn’t sure what her condition there was still a good feeling in her stomach now instead of dread.

Joanna squeezed her daughter’s hand before gently placing it back on the bed. She kissed Erin’s forehead, got up from the chair, and left the room. She found Erich where she knew he would be, pacing outside like an angry dog trying to find a way out of his cage. It was rare that he let anger, or any emotion, get the best of him. Fear for your child’s life was a good reason to do so but he needed to get it together. Joanna crossed her arms until he stopped walking back and forth.

“I felt her slipping through my fingers.” he said. “I knew we were going to lose her and all my power and money couldn’t do a damn thing about it.”

“The doctors said she's going to be fine.” Joanna replied. “It will be a long road back but she’s going to make it.”

“What was she even doing with a bum like that?”

“She was being a teenage girl in love.”

“Oh please Joanna.” Erich rolled his eyes.

“Has it been so long that you've forgotten? I would hope you can go somewhere deep in your memory and remember your passion for me.”

“I will always, always love you.” Erich caressed her face in his hands. “This fling shouldn’t be compared to what we have. It’s not the same.”

“There are those who thought we weren't good for each other.” Joanna said. “We never listened to them.”

“It’s David Rossi for God’s sake!” Erich said it through clenched teeth.

“Tell me five bad things about him, Erich. I'm not talking about his father and your real or perceived beefs with him. I'm talking about David Rossi.”

“He's Italian, Catholic, crass, uneducated, and Luciano Rossi’s son.”

“You're being ridiculous.” Now Joanna rolled her eyes. “Erin took two bullets for him. You can scoff all you want but her love is clear. She’s also 18 years old…she's a woman. She won't let you control her and neither will I.”

“She wouldn’t defy me.” he shook his head.

“She already has. Work it out, love. Whatever you need to do then you better go and do it. Talk to Luciano and clean up this mess. Don’t live Erin’s life for her; fix your own.”

“Some of the reason I married you is because you're tough as nails.”

“I can be. I happen to be falling apart right now so I need you to put your arms around me and tell me this is going to be alright.”

“I’ll fix it.” Erich wrapped his wife in his embrace. “Everything is going to be alright. The people who did this will be squashed and I’ll work with Luciano. I don’t want you to lose any sleep over this. Let Erin be your primary concern.”

“She is.” Joanna exhaled as she held him tight. “You also need to understand that this isn’t David’s fault either.”

“You're not going to stop are you? You don’t even know him.”

“But I know Erin. If she loves him then I have to trust it, even if the feeling is fleeting. She deserves it. Just talk to Luciano.” She kissed him. “This is your business; fix it.”

Erich nodded. He let his wife go and watched her walk back into their daughter’s room. He sighed, leaning his forehead on the cold cinderblock walls. This had to be done; it had to happen quickly. His daughter had been shot Friday night and it was already Sunday. If Erich had his way, Sean Finnegan would be dead before sunset. He didn’t always get his way.

000

“What are you still doing here?”

Erich walked up to Luciano in the waiting room. The Italian stood by the window with a cigarette and a cup of tea.

“My son is here, so I'm here.” He nodded toward Dave. He was curled up on one of the uncomfortable couches sleeping.

“How long does he plan to do that?” Erich asked.

“Until Erin is released or he's allowed to see her, whichever comes first.”

“You can't possibly think that their relationship is a good idea.”

“Why should I put myself in the middle of the affairs of young people?” Luciano asked. “My son is a good boy in love with a good girl. I don’t have the time or energy to find fault with the small things that they need to work out. There’s nothing to complain about.”

“I don’t like it.” Erich shook his head.

“I hope you don’t expect me to be surprised. You don’t always get a say in those kinds of things. And there are certainly bigger issues to concern ourselves with at the moment than two kids in love.”

“It’ll never work between them.”

“Perhaps not.” Luciano shrugged. He didn’t have a bit of love for the Kraut where this was concerned. Still, they both had children and were devoted fathers. He might support Erich’s argument with more enthusiasm if Luciano wasn’t sure it came from a hateful heart. So much of his counterpart seemed to come from that place. “I think the kids will make sense of it and follow their hearts.”

“We need to work on some other things.” Erich said.

“What are your thoughts on the problem?”

“Sean Finnegan is as good as dead. I want to make an example out of every one of those Micks, but that’s excessive.”

“A bit.” Luciano nodded. “I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to discuss what's happened and what will happen in the future. This needs to occur sooner rather than later.”

“I don’t disagree.”

“We’re going to have to sit down with Finnegan. If not him then whoever takes his place.”

“Absolutely not.” Erich shook his head. “Those bastards tried to kill my daughter.”

“Actually, they tried to kill my son and Erin jumped in front of him. That’s a sacrifice that I can never repay. Sean Finnegan was avenging the death of his brother just as you plan to avenge the injury of your child. A large part of the problem is that they feel as if we don’t recognize them.”

“And you think acknowledging and indulging them is the solution?”

“I don't know, Erich. Do you think continuing to ignore them will be to our benefit?”

“You're telling me to let Sean Finnegan live, are you?” Erich asked. “You really think that’s a good idea after what he's done.”

“You do what you need to do. I can surely feel your pain and anger. Word on the street, and it’s getting louder by the day, is that Ray Finnegan had Doyle murdered.”

“What kind of sense does that make?” Erich asked.

“He was afraid of losing him to a woman he was falling in love with. That’s what I hear.”

“Are you talking about that Prentiss girl? Not that I concern myself with such things but was it that serious.”

“It was in Ray Finnegan’s mind.” Luciano replied.

“Has Sean Finnegan heard this?”

“By now I'm sure he has. Whether he believes it or not remains to be seen. I say we wait a few days. Surely don’t let your guard down but we wait. It’s altogether possible that the Micks will implode on their own. Is Erin going to be alright?”

“The doctors say she’ll recover fully but it will be a long process. She lost a lot of blood and they had a tough time removing the bullet from her side without damaging her kidney or liver.” 

It was hard to say aloud but doing so made it real. Erich clenched his hands into fists, holding his composure. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to let the man who shot his daughter live. It didn’t matter that doing so meant that Ray Finnegan would probably die. That man had been a thorn in everyone’s side for too long.

“Did they remove the bullet?” Luciano asked.

“Yes.” Erich nodded. “Do you think that Sean Finnegan is more civilized than his boss?”

“Most likely but we won't know until we sit down. If we don’t have some kind of conversation then there’s going to be a long conflict. No doubt it will also be bloody. You and I might not make it out alive.”

“Pop…” Dave sat up and looked at his father. Then he looked at Erich Strauss. “What's going on? Is Erin…?”

“She's fine.” Luciano said.

“Are you sure? Are you lying to me?”

“She’s fine.” Erich repeated.

“Can I see her?” Dave asked.

“Not right now David; she needs her rest.”

“You're never going to let me see her, are you?”

“You put my daughter in a very dangerous situation.” Erich said. “I don’t feel the need to be generous to you right now.”

“I would've taken the bullets.” Dave said. “I never wanted her to do what she did. All I wanted was a chance to say goodbye before I went to Havana. I love Erin. You don’t have to like me, I know you probably don’t, but that’s the God’s truth. She loves me too and I don’t think you can change that.”

Erich cleared his throat. He wanted to belt the damn Goombah, no matter how sincere his eyes looked. No doubt he’d already deflowered Erin. If not he’d damn sure tried. Erich had faith in his daughter and her intelligence. But when a boy convinced a girl that he was in love with her it was easy to get her to surrender. He was not going to give his daughter to this kind of guy.

“She needs rest for the next few days.” Erich said. “We’ll revisit you possibly seeing her after that.”

“I appreciate the consideration.” Luciano nodded. Sometimes being civil to Strauss to every bit of energy the Italian had. And Luciano Rossi had lots of energy.

“We’ll speak again Luciano.”

“Please tell Erin that I love her.” Dave said as Erich walked away.

“You should probably just go home David.”

“I'm not leaving until I see her. At least my father won't have to worry about me here in the waiting room.”

Erich just kept walking. Dave sighed when he was out of eyesight and earshot.

“That guy is such a…”

“David,” Luciano admonished.

“I'm serious Pop.”

“He's the one who can give you access to Erin; breathe deeply.”

“I'm trying.”

“And you're sure you want to stay here until he comes around?” his father asked.

“I can't leave.” Dave said. “And I've gotten to know Erin pretty well. When she's awake and feeling like herself, her father won't be able to tell her what to do. I’ll wait.”

“When Derek and Aaron get here at two I'm going to go home and get some things for you. Surely you need a decent meal.”

“Pop, I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

“What are you thanking me for?” Luciano asked.

“You don’t have to support me and Erin. You’re always been good to me and just because you're my father doesn't make that automatic.”

“I figure you need all the support you can get.” He put his arm around his son’s shoulder. “Once your mother finds out that Erin’s a Protestant we could have a few problems.”

***

“Hi, c'mon in.”

“Hey Aaron.” Beth smiled as she walked into his apartment.

“Was the walk here alright?”

Beth lived a little over a mile from him. He told her that he would pick her up for their date but Beth said she wanted to walk. There were few things higher on her list than walking around Manhattan. Anyway, it was still light outside so she didn’t feel walking alone would be a problem. She wouldn’t mind at all if he walked her home.

“It was great. The clouds are coming though so I carried an umbrella.” She held it up.

“I'm really glad you're here.” Hotch pulled her close and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. Beth put her arms around his neck and gave him a better one. “It’s been an insane week and I couldn’t think of a better way to end it than hanging out with you.”

“Well I'm really happy to hear that. Something smells delicious.”

“I bought manicotti from D’Amico’s and its warming in the oven. I wanted to make something nice but I didn’t want you walking up to the Fire Department.”

“Is your father joining us for dinner?” Beth asked.

“What?” he took her umbrella and her sweater, putting them both in the front closet.

“Is your father going to have dinner with us?”

“He isn’t here; he's still in Rio de Janeiro. He’ll be back on Sunday.”

“We’re alone?”

“Yes.” Hotch was concerned by her tone of voice. “I thought I mentioned that he was away. I'm so sorry Beth…if you don’t want to hang out here I totally understand. I’ll just take you out somewhere and…”

“No,” she shook her head. “It’s alright.”

“Are you sure it’s alright? It doesn’t have to be alright. I don’t want you feeling any pressure or discomfort.”

“I'm fine.” She smiled. “I do have to be home by ten thirty though. I tried to get my parents to agree to eleven but they didn’t. So we won't have time to watch the whole movie.”

The plan was for them to have dinner and then watch _Rebecca_. The Hitchcock film, already considered a classic by those who considered such things, was premiering on television tonight. Both the teens were looking forward to it so knew it would be even better to watch together.

“We’ll watch as much as we can and then I’ll take you home. Come into the dining room; I'm about to put dinner on the table.”

“I like your apartment.” Beth said. She felt so comfortable holding his hand now; this was almost starting to feel real. “It’s just you and your dad right?”

“Most of the time.” Hotch replied. “His lady friends float through but no one ever stays long enough for me to remember more than name, rank, and serial number.”

“That must be uncomfortable.”

“I'm OK.”

Hotch always said he was OK. It was just something that flowed out of his mouth like hello and goodbye. He knew he didn’t have to be that way with Beth. It was something he was still getting used to. Talking too much about his family life wasn’t something he wanted to do this evening. He wanted to talk though. Maybe it would be good for him. He knew it would be good for them.

“You don’t always have to be OK, Aaron. I'm not always OK. I don’t think anyone is always OK.”

“I know.” He nodded and pulled out her chair in the dining room. “Would you like to have some wine with dinner?”

“Oh, that sounds nice. I would've dressed better if I knew this was going to be fancy.”

He’d put candles out on the table, the good napkins, and nice plates. When he invited her over Beth was expecting burgers and soda pop. She would've been pleased with that. This was all a pleasant surprise.

“You look amazing Beth. You always look amazing.” Hotch smiled and his dimples showed. Then he went into the kitchen.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, is Dave still at the hospital?” she asked.

“He’s on the sixth whole day. Thankfully we were able to convince him to go home to shower and nap a few days back. But as soon as he woke up he just got dressed and went back. It’s so weird…I didn’t even know he was feeling all that he was feeling.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s in love with Erin Strauss.” Hotch came out of the kitchen holding the aluminum pan with the manicotti. He put it on the table and then went back for the wine. “I just didn’t know and can't figure out how I didn’t know.”

“I don't know Dave that well but Emily said he had lots of girlfriends before. Maybe you just thought Erin was another one.”

“Actually he hasn’t had many girlfriends.” Hotch poured two glasses of Merlot before sitting down next to Beth at the head of the table. “He's dated a lot of girls though. They’re a thing of his.”

“Girls?” Beth asked.

“Yeah.” he nodded.

“But you don’t date much?”

“I just haven’t found the right one I guess. I hadn't found the right one, I mean.”

“Sometimes it takes people forever to do so. Or you can meet at 15, like my parents, and just know.” 

“How do people do that?” Hotch asked.

“I have no idea.” She laughed. Then she held up her wineglass. “What are we drinking to?”

“You want me to make a toast?” that caught him off guard. Beth did that a lot and Hotch liked it. She always did it in a good way.

“Yes. If you don’t want to, I don’t mind doing it.”

“Oh no, um…” he cleared his throat and lifted his glass. “Wow, I'm not entirely sure what to say.”

“What about the first thing that comes to mind?” Beth suggested.

“I don’t think so.”

She smiled when he did. Hotch looked downward but wasn’t able to stop his mind from going there. Beth made him feel like no girl had in a long time. But it wasn’t just this feeling of longing from across the room. Beth was real; what they had was tangible. Hotch wanted to drink to that.

“I want to drink to your smile, which always make me smile. That’s never been an easy thing.”

“I hope it gets easier over time because it’s a very nice smile.” Beth sipped her wine.

She planned to enjoy every moment of being alone tonight even if she was nervous. Nerves were OK, especially when you felt for someone how she was feeling for Aaron. Beth wondered how he felt too but they promised they would just go out and have fun together. Not knowing wasn’t always fun, it was never really. Still, she had a feeling deep down inside that they both knew answers to questions that burned on the tips of their tongues.

***

“Will you marry me?”

“Good morning.” Erin opened her eyes and smiled. She felt like she hadn't seen Dave in forever and she missed him terribly. “How did you get past my father?”

“I think the nurses were starting to feel sorry for me. Either that or they want me out of their waiting room. But they told me that he left this morning for meetings so this was my chance. Your mother decided to look the other way.”

“I'm sorry he’s been acting this way but I promise when I get out of the hospital he’s not going to be able to keep us apart, David.”

He smiled and kissed her. He liked it so much that he had to do it again and again. Then he caressed Erin’s face. Seeing her, seeing her smile made him feel as if a huge weight was lifted off him. 

He knew she was alive, and her mother had given him some random updates. But Dave had basically spent the past seven days in waiting room purgatory. Thinking that the last time he might hold her in his arms was when she was bleeding almost to death…he wouldn’t wish that feeling on his worst enemy. The smile on her face right now was enough to sustain him.

“I don’t want you worrying about your father right now. You just stay in here as long as you need to and get better. That’s all I want, Erin. Well I wouldn’t mind an answer to my question.”

“What question?” she asked.

“Will you marry me?” Dave repeated it and opened the ring box.

“Oh my God, are you serious?”

“I'm serious.” He nodded.

“But I…”

“I love you. I'm always going to love you. I'm never going to love anyone else like I love you. To hell with what anyone thinks. I’ll take care of you; we’ll take care of each other. All you have to do is say yes.”

“But I want to go to college and travel the world and…I'm only 18 years old David. I know so many girls are getting married right now but I've always had different plans for my own life.”

“How do you feel about long engagements?” he asked.

“How long?” Erin sat up some in the hospital bed. She grimaced in pain and saw the pain on Dave’s face. “Its not so bad, as getting shot goes I guess. Mostly I just need to heal. The doctors tell me I'm going to be fine with a lot of rest and not too much excitement. Leave it to you to come in here and break the rules, David Rossi.”

“You can go to college and then we’ll marry after you graduate. By then I’ll have a decent career in something or other. We’ll travel anywhere you want; the whole world if you want. We’ll get an apartment with a view of the Empire State Building and make love every night in the glow of the different colored lights. I want you Erin.”

“I want you too. You have ruined everything in the best way. Did you pick out that ring all by yourself; it’s beautiful.”

“It was my grandmother’s.” Dave looked at the pearl surrounded by diamonds. “She left it to my mother, who was going to give it to one of my sisters. But when I told her that I wanted to marry you she insisted that I have it. She wanted you to have it. Will you have it?”

“I will marry you.” she nodded. “But first we have to establish some rules.”

“This is equal partnership. You get just as much say in it as I do.” Dave took the ring from the box and put it on her finger. It was a nearly perfect fit. “I don’t want you to become some pod person who cooks, cleans, and is devoid of all emotion. I hope that we can spend everyday for the rest of our lives challenging and exciting each other.”

“We’re going to face a lot of challenges before we even get to the altar. The religion thing is just one of a million but it’s a sticking point for our parents.”

“Everything is a sticking point for our parents. This relationship is not about them. I love my mom and pop and I know you love yours. The best thing we can do for them is love each other and live great lives. They sacrificed and made decisions for us for a long time. Now it's time for that we do it for ourselves.”

“And there's that sweet talker that I love so much.” Erin smiled.

“Can you do this, Erin? Do you love me enough to defy your family’s wishes? I won't even pretend that it’s something easy because its not.”

“They’re my father’s wishes and it’s just because he doesn’t know you.” Erin reached for his hand. “He’ll come around, and if he doesn’t then I don't know…we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

“Do you mind saying you'll marry me again?” Dave asked.

“I will marry you, David Rossi. I love you. It’s crazy and intense and I never thought I would be experiencing something like this at this moment. I honestly never thought I’d ever experience it.”

“Me neither.” He kissed her again. “We don’t have to be a Shakespearean tragedy. We don’t have to be a cautionary tale.”

“Shakespeare did have some happy plays.” Erin said. “It wasn’t just about miserable characters dying in the end. Let's be one of the happy ones.”

“ _The Taming of the Shrew_?” Dave asked, unable to stop his smirk.

“No smarty pants!” Erin gave him a good punch on the arm. “I was thinking more of _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_.”

“Is that the one with the fairies?”

“Don’t focus on the fairies. Focus on that even with confusion and mistakes the universe eventually rights itself and they all live happily ever after.”

“But there were also fairies.” Dave said.

“What am I going to do with you?” Erin asked laughing. That hurt a bit but she wasn’t going to allow pain to ruin this moment for her.

“You have the rest of your life to figure it out, Erin Strauss.”

***


End file.
